Kagome's Return sequel to Kagome! Where are you?
by jeffs
Summary: This is a continuation andor sequel to my story: Kagome! Where are you? chapter 26 the Finale...
1. Default Chapter

Kagome's return: prolog  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story.  
  
This is a continuation and/or sequel to my story: Kagome! Where are you!?  
  
Since this is continuation of that storyline, and since there will, hopefully, be new readers, and there may by readers that might not have read the entire story, (It is a huge story.), I will use the prolog of this story to bring new readers up to speed, and to refresh the memory of older readers.  
  
In my story "Kagome! Where are you?!"... Kagome and Sesshomaru were sent on a trip through various different worlds.  
  
A magical cube, created by Cthulhu, sends them on the trip. It does so at the direction of an, as yet, unknown god, and Cthulhu, who thought it would be fun . . .  
  
To them the journey took about two months, but since the device that was sending them from world to world, was able to bend TIME and space, so only about one month has passed for Inu-yasha and the rest of the gang.  
  
During those two months, a bond, a very strong bond, has developed between Kagome and Sesshomaru.  
  
They were sent to an ice world, where to save themselves from the cold, they had to ignore their strong personal modesty. They learned that they needed each other. Sesshomaru began to acquire some respect for Kagome, since she did not immediately try to have sex with him. Kagome begins to trust him. Kagome acquires the sword Jaa Kalpa.  
  
They, next, were sent to a world full of dinosaurs. Both acknowledge, at least some, respect for each other. Kagome learns how to empower the spirits within her clothes, allowing them to repair and change themselves. But . . . Kagome and Sesshomaru's basic disagreement over when it is appropriate to kill, does cause problems. Sesshomaru begins to train Kagome with weapons (and to a lesser degree, magic.)  
  
In the next world, They have a major battle with Aliens and Predators. Kagome shows a new trick with her arrows. And, wakes up Jaa Kalpa's powers. The sword can generate an intense (absolute zero) cold wave. She saves Sesshomaru's life when he loses the fight against the Aliens.  
  
However, the wounds from the fight with the aliens weakened Sesshomaru. He is possessed by the cube. Kagome saves him from the cube, and in the process, she learns about his childhood. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, comes to the decision that he likes/respects/ and possibly loves her. They acknowledge the bond between them, and their new found friendship.  
  
They spend a couple of days in Iron Age Japan (approx. 225 BC). Kagome almost marries the emperor, and she does acknowledge that she is engaged to him.  
  
Sesshomaru, due to the actions of the Emperor's jealous wife, further tells Kagome about his family. And, how jealousy has destroyed the family. His horrible relationship with his mother is revealed. Sesshomaru's hatred of the emotion jealousy is explained.  
  
His father, like most nobles, had multiple wives. The jealousy between Sesshomaru's mother and Inu-yasha's mother destroyed the family.  
  
By the end of his story, both internally acknowledge the love that they feel for each other. But, Sesshomaru wants to control his jealousy, and Kagome still loves Inu-yasha, so neither of them acts on their feelings.  
  
The next world is Middle Earth. But, in the first age, not the third age of the movies. Massive battles . . . Sesshomaru vs. Sauron. Kagome vs. Sauron. Sesshomaru & Kagome vs. a Balrog. Kagome & Sesshomaru vs. the Good Gods of middle earth. Sesshomaru stabs' Sauron through the heart & curses him.  
  
They have a few hours of private time . . . Which they use to talk about their relationship. Both acknowledge that they feel love for each other. To Sesshomaru, Kagome is the first person in all his long life that he feels like he can trust, totally. He has, for him, fallen for her and is heads over heels in love with her.  
  
Kagome, on the other hand, still has strong feelings for Inu-yasha, so, even though she acknowledges that she likes/loves Sesshomaru, she is not going to betray Inu-yasha.  
  
Sesshomaru comes to the conclusion that trying to force Kagome to love only him, is not a good option, Kagome has to stop caring/loving for Inu-yasha, but he knows that trying to force that will not win her heart.  
  
Sesshomaru manages to con Kagome into letting him begin a dog demon courtship. And, during their bathe . . . The sexual side of their relationship changes, as they masturbate each other.  
  
The next world is a world in which Dracula conquered the world. Kagome is captured and seduced by Dracula. Sesshomaru vs. Dracula (massive battle of destruction) She uses her newfound love of Sesshomaru to break Dracula's hold on her.  
  
This causes a crisis with Kagome's love and feelings . . . (her love of Inu-yasha wasn't able to break the hold that Dracula had on her.)  
  
Sesshomaru, after a great deal of thought, comes up with a plan. Neither one of them really thinks that it'll work, but, it's the only plan that doesn't involve fighting/killing, which, of course, is needed for Kagome to approve of it. The plan: using Kagome's thoughts. A man could have two or more wives in feudal japan. So . . . couldn't a woman have two husbands? Kagome & Sesshomaru/Inu-yasha Triangle.  
  
It's a rationalization that allows Kagome and Sesshomaru to advance their relationship. Both know it depends on Inu-yasha behaving rationally, so neither has much faith in it, but the only alternates are worse. (Involving the death, or massive physical/emotion hurt, of at least one member of the triangle. Something that Kagome does NOT want to happen.)  
  
Kagome summons the Goddess Uzume (goddess of pleasure) to find out some information. In the process, Kagome and Sesshomaru's relationship advances sexually. Kagome confirms that this journey is a test for her and Sesshomaru. But, she doesn't find out who started them on this trip. (Uzume also curses Kagome . . . so that she can't wear underwear . . . )  
  
They are about to make love, fully, but are interrupted and they go to the next world. This is a world without magic. It is a world in which Germany won World War II. Kagome and Sesshomaru are forced to hide from a German patrol . . . they both come very close to death. Kagome & Sesshomaru is forced into very abusive positions by the Germans . . .  
  
Kagome learns the about the death of Inu-yasha's mother . . .  
  
They, then, arrive on the world of Gilligan's island . . .  
  
They spend a week on that island, basically peacefully. (Gilligan and the others do cause some humorous problems, but nothing life-threatening.)  
  
They do, during this week, consummate their love for each other. Sesshomaru also spends hours each day teaching/training with Kagome in combat situations. Kagome and the Professor spend hours each day teaching Sesshomaru about the future.  
  
They also spend a great deal of time talking about each other, their plans, etc. Their relationship stabilizes.  
  
They begin to travel to a series of worlds, starting with the moon of Endor from Star Wars. (Kagome meets and takes pictures of Luke, Leia, Han, the others, even Darth Vader.) Sesshomaru & Kagome learns the JEDI mind trick (these are not the 'droids that you're looking for.)  
  
Kagome and Sesshomaru then visit, briefly, a series of worlds.  
  
They appear on a world where sex is openly talked/acted on. (Based on a couple Hentai animes) Sesshomaru and Kagome confront, to a degree, some of their potential jealousy problems.  
  
They visit a world in which Kagome became Evil. They fight her and Inu- yasha. Inu-yasha kills Kagome. Sesshomaru kills Inu-yasha. Kagome uses the Jewel to change the world. (It does, but, in the process her wish is twisted so a version of Kagome dies . . . )  
  
They then visit a world full of Anime characters. Project A-ko, Yu-Yu Hakusho, tenchi Muyo, cat Girl Nuku Nuku, Sailor moon, love hina, And Oh! My Goddess!  
  
Belldandy, from OMG, asks for and is given the cube. She returns it to its creator Cthulhu. Urd opens a portal for Kagome and Sesshomaru.  
  
The portal drops them off on Kagome's world, but not at her house . . .  
  
While Kagome and Sesshomaru were on their trip, Inu-yasha and the gang made several attempts to find Kagome and bring her home. None of those attempts succeeded. But, during those attempts, Naraku found out that Kagome is missing. He decides that this is a perfect time to attack Inu-yasha and the rest of the group.  
  
During this epic journey Kagome and Sesshomaru did change their personalities to a degree.  
  
Sesshomaru has accepted Kagome as his mate.  
  
While he still dislikes humans and just about everyone else, he does not want to upset Kagome, so he does treat humans better. (Ie. He doesn't kill them. Too often.) He has decided to try to convince Inu-yasha that the triangle plan will work. He is old enough, though, too know that plans might look great on paper, but, it may not work in real life. But, He cares enough about Kagome to make an honest effort.  
  
Kagome has accepted Sesshomaru as her husband.  
  
(They have created a pair of wristbands from their hair. Those wristbands are their, unofficial, wedding band.)  
  
But. She still has intense feelings for Inu-yasha. She does want the triangle plan to work. But. She knows that it depends on Inu-yasha listening and thinking . . . which are not Inu-yasha's strong points. Since Sesshomaru has made a couple of "I can't live without you"-type statements, she has decided, at least for the moment, if it comes to choice between Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha. Sesshomaru will be her choice. (Inu-yasha can survive without her. Sesshomaru . . . she doesn't know.)  
  
Kagome has also been exposed to a great deal of warfare during this trip. While she still dislikes killing . . . she will kill, if necessary. (And, she will release Sesshomaru, and let him attack freely, if needed)  
  
Sesshomaru, during his long lifetime, has been around a lot of female demons. He is very experienced in the bedroom. And, he's been enjoying teaching Kagome's bedroom skills.  
  
Kagome has accepted that her ancestor is Uzume, goddess of pleasure, and she has accepted, at least, somewhat some of the behaviors that she's been exposed to. (See my Spring Fertility Festival stories)  
  
They have developed a strong and varied sex life between them.  
  
From the end of Chapter 66 . . .  
  
She points between a couple of large buildings. "That, Sesshomaru, is the Empire State Building." She swallows, "We must be in New York City."  
  
"Hey!" A group of young men, with a couple of young women approach. "You two going to some sort of costume party!" one of the calls out.  
  
Kagome and Sesshomaru look at each other. He raises an eyebrow. Their backpack is on his back.  
  
"Just follow along, please," Kagome whispers.  
  
"Yes!" Kagome smiles, "An anime costume party!"  
  
"Cool!" one of the young women replies. The group of about a dozen young people gathers around Kagome and Sesshomaru.  
  
"Where!" another says.  
  
"Well . . . " Kagome replies, "That seems to be the problem. I've gotten lost." She smiles, "Could I borrow a cell phone. I've seemed to have lost mine."  
  
A couple of them look at each other. One of the boys, smiling as his eyes search Kagome's legs. "What's your name?" he asks.  
  
"Higurashi Kagome." Kagome replies, smiling. "Please, I'll only need it for a couple of minutes."  
  
The boy hands Kagome his phone.  
  
"Just a minute." Kagome smiles. She flips the phone open and dials . . .  
  
The phone rings . . . The answering machine picks up.  
  
"If someone is there, please pick up!"  
  
"Kagome!" Sota yells.  
  
"Sota!" relief colors Kagome's voice. "I need to talk to mother."  
  
"Yes. She's in the well house. I think that Inu-yasha is there!" Sota replies.  
  
"Hurry!" Kagome calls, "Get him or mom on the phone!"  
  
As she can hear Sota run to the well house, Kagome thinks, 'we're in the states. Neither Sesshomaru nor myself has any identity papers. Nor, do we have any money. And we've got to get to Tokyo . . . '  
  
end prolog...  
  
Authors' note: I am not planning on this to be as long of a story at Kagome! Where are you?!  
  
I am not planning to include much in the way of lemons/limes in this story. (At the end of the story, once I've resolved the triangle, then, I'll probably include some) The story will be rated R, for the eventual lemon, and graphic violence, which will be starting soon . . .  
  
I will begin to post on my regular Tues/Thurs/sun schedule.  
  
For the readers on my story "A Shard in Kyoto." Sigh. I did try to start chapter 15, but, nothing. Total writers block, sorry. I will attempt, as I get time, to work on it. (Hopefully I can get it out soon, but no promises are made, sorry.)  
  
Wiry grin . . . Today is my birthday, so . . . just to be weird . . . You, the readers, get the present.  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	2. kagome & sess in New York

Kagome's return chapter 1  
  
New York, New York . . .  
  
Authors' note: this is a post sept. 11, 2001 world, so . . .  
  
Also . . . Language. Kagome and Sesshomaru, in public will be speaking English. If they are in a, what they consider a private conversation, they'll speak Japanese.

* * *

She points between a couple of large buildings. "That, Sesshomaru, is the Empire State Building." She swallows, "We must be in New York City."  
  
"Hey!" A group of young men, with a couple of young women approach. "You two going to some sort of costume party!" one of the calls out.  
  
Kagome and Sesshomaru look at each other. He raises an eyebrow.  
  
"Just follow along, please," Kagome whispers.  
  
"Yes!" Kagome smiles, "An anime costume party!"  
  
"Cool," one of the young women replies. The group of about a dozen young people gathers around Kagome and Sesshomaru.  
  
"Where," another says.  
  
"Well . . . " Kagome replies, "That seems to be the problem. I've gotten lost." She smiles, "Could I borrow a cell phone. I've seemed to have lost mine."  
  
A couple of them look at each other. One of the boys, smiling as his eyes search Kagome's legs. "What's your name?" he asks.  
  
"Higurashi Kagome." Kagome replies, smiling. "Please, I'll only need it for a couple of minutes."  
  
The boy hands Kagome his phone.  
  
"Just a minute." Kagome smiles. She flips the phone open and dials . . .  
  
The phone rings . . .  
  
The answering machine picks up.  
  
"If someone is there, please pick up!"  
  
"Kagome!" Sota yells.  
  
"Sota!" relief colors Kagome's voice. "I need to talk to mother."  
  
"Yes. She's in the well house. I think that Inu-yasha is there!" Sota replies.  
  
"Hurry!" Kagome calls, "Get him or mom on the phone!"  
  
As she can hear Sota run to the well house, Kagome thinks, 'we're in the states. Neither Sesshomaru nor myself has any identity papers. Nor, do we have any money. And we've got to get to Tokyo . . . '  
  
"Kagome!?" her mother's voice sounds excited and strained in the cell phone. (The conversation with her mother is in Japanese)  
  
"Mother! This is Kagome!" she says as Kagome tries to move behind Sesshomaru, so her phone call can be somewhat private.  
  
"Where are you?!"  
  
"New York, New York."  
  
Static . . .  
  
"Kagome." "Mother." They both say at the same time.  
  
"You go first, mother." Kagome continues.  
  
"You need to get home as quick as possible." The strain on Kagome's mother voice is very evident.  
  
"What's happened?" Kagome asks, as goose bumps travel up her spine.  
  
"Something's gone very wrong. Inu-yasha just left."  
  
"Great. I wanted to talk to him." Kagome says under her breath.  
  
"But, he just dropped off Shippo and Rin."  
  
"How? They can't go through the well. I've tried, many times, to take Shippo with me."  
  
"I don't know." Mrs. H says, "But let me finish, I don't have much time."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"They are both covered in blood and badly hurt. I've got to use the phone to call Chika, you know,"  
  
"That nurse that lives down the street, yes." A pause, "How badly?" Kagome's voice is ghostly silent.  
  
Static . . .  
  
"If Shippo's healing powers are similar to, Inu-yasha's he'll be ok, eventually. Rin." Static. "She's hurt, badly."  
  
"What did my younger brother do?" Sesshomaru growls into the phone.  
  
"Who?" The startled surprise in Mrs. H's tone is obvious.  
  
"This is Sesshomaru, Mother." Kagome grimaces.  
  
"How badly hurt is Rin?" Sesshomaru demands.  
  
"She is bleeding. She is unconscious. I think that her skull is broken."  
  
"I'll talk to you later, mom. Call that nurse!" Kagome orders in voice full of suppressed emotions.  
  
Kagome flips the cell phone closed.  
  
"Bitch!" Sesshomaru growls at her.  
  
Kagome glares at Sesshomaru, tears in her eyes. "Do you think that I wanted to hang up that quickly, Sesshomaru?" She demands, in Japanese. "That's the first time that I've spoken with her in more than two months!"  
  
Sesshomaru opens his mouth. He closes it.  
  
"She needs to use the phone to call a nurse that lives nearby. Rin needs that help more than I need to talk to my mother, or you need to bug her about Rin."  
  
"Hey!" the boy whose phone Kagome borrows interrupts, "What happened?"  
  
"Yeah, you two are too excited for that call to be normal," his girl friend adds.  
  
Sesshomaru turns and glares at the human teenagers.  
  
They all step back, at least a couple of steps, from the force of that glare.  
  
Kagome moves in front of Sesshomaru. "It's ok." She hands the boy back his cell phone.  
  
She grimaces, "it's just, that something bad has happened at home." She nods to Sesshomaru. "His daughter fell down a flight of stairs and she's hurt."  
  
"How bad?" comes out of at least of a couple of the teenagers mouths.  
  
Kagome grimaces again. "It sounded pretty bad. That's why I hung up the phone. My mother needed it to call a nurse that lives nearby."  
  
"Good. And call 911, too." Someone remarks.  
  
Kagome nods. "Yes."  
  
'I hated lying, but,' She thinks. 'But mother can't call 911. How can she explain Rin? And Shippo isn't even human. Luckily, Chika is a family friend, so she'll probably help without talking about it, I hope.'  
  
"So, you'll be headed home, right." Says the young woman that earlier was excited about Kagome and Sesshomaru going to an anime costume party.  
  
"Yes. As soon as we can." Kagome replies.  
  
"Well, where is the party that you were going to?" She asks.  
  
"Hey! What about the party we were going to?" the boy standing next to her asks.  
  
"It'll be boring, Mark." She replies. "Someone turns on the TV, plops in some movie that no one pays attention to, or they pop in a porno, that everyone watches. We drink, play some music, dance, and . . . "  
  
Mark, her boyfriend, puts his arm around her, "And what's so bad about that, Rose?"  
  
"It's boring! An anime costume party is different, exciting! I want to see if we can crash it and have some real fun!" Rose replies.  
  
A couple of the girls in the group add in a couple of "yes, let's find out where it is and crash it," as they gather around her.  
  
Mark's male friends gather around him, as he replies, "Anime costume party?" he shakes his head. "I don't know the first thing about most of those things, and we don't have costumes. Let's just have a normal party."  
  
"Yeah." "You said it." A couple of his friends backs him up.  
  
While the group of teenagers is talking among themselves, Kagome whispers into Sesshomaru's ear. "Fly us to the top of the building, Sesshomaru. We need to talk and plan."  
  
He nods, "We've got to get to your house as soon as possible." He whispers back.  
  
She nods. She wraps her arms around him. He, in a flick of an eye, flies up and away from the teenagers, without their noticing.  
  
After a couple of minutes . . .  
  
"Hey!" One of the girls yells, "Where did they go?"  
  
'I wanted to see if I could slip up next to him and get a feel.' She thinks. The group of teenagers looks around, neither Kagome nor Sesshomaru can be seen.  
  
'That was close.' One of the boys thinks, 'I saw a look in Mary's eye. I was wondering if she was going to jump that guy's bones . . . '  
  
'What was his name?' Mary thinks. 'Yes. Sesshomaru. Hmmm. I wonder, that doesn't sound like a common Japanese name, I wonder what a web search for it would show? And if I looked it up in the white pages, could I find his number? But . . . how to spell it?'  
  
She rubs her thighs together, knowing what her fantasy for the next couple of nights will be . . .  
  
'Those two were weird.' Mark thinks. He sighs, 'the guy was obviously disguised, so the girl probably was as well. I'd bet that the names they were using were fakes for the party, too.' He shrugs.  
  
The boys and girls begin a full scale argument about what type of party that they want to go to tonight . . .  
  
On the roof . . .  
  
Sesshomaru and Kagome separate, once he lands them on the roof.  
  
"This is your world, Kagome. In which direction is your house. I will fly us there." Sesshomaru demands.  
  
Kagome looks around the sky. The bright lights of the city drown out most of the stars, so she cannot tell the direction from them. "Which direction is east?"  
  
Sesshomaru concentrates, feeling the earth around him. "What are these building made of? The sense that I use to find my direction doesn't feel right."  
  
Kagome blinks. 'What? Hmm. His senses are sharp. Is he feeling the earth's magnetic field? Probably. And, if that's the case . . . '  
  
Kagome replies, "The buildings are full of iron and steel, Sesshomaru. And, that's probably confusing your senses."  
  
He grunts. He points in one direction. "That direction feels like north."  
  
Kagome nods. She points to the east, assuming that Sesshomaru is correct, "Japan is in that direction, Sesshomaru. And, we're more than 10,000 kilometers from home."  
  
Sesshomaru purses his lips, "you've used that term before, Kagome."  
  
"Yes. Let's see one RI is about four kilometers." (Ri: from the old, pre- 1860 feudal measurement system.)  
  
"2,500 RI'S then." Sesshomaru murmurs.  
  
"Probably more, Sesshomaru." Kagome replies. "That assumes that we know the exact direction and stick with it. Which we don't know."  
  
Sesshomaru grimaces, 'Kyoto to Edo is well over one hundred Ri's. So, assume thirty times that distance. That'll take days to fly that, even if Kagome lends me power, and when we arrive, we'll be exhausted.'  
  
"How long would it take you to fly us that distance?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Days, at least. The problem isn't my speed when flying. It's that my training emphasizes combat speed. Sprinting, in other words, not long distance running."  
  
"You'll sprint a distance, and then you'll have to rest up." Kagome states. "And if you borrow my power, or the jewel?" she asks.  
  
Sesshomaru shrugs, "I'll recover faster, at least at first. But, once you get tried."  
  
Kagome grimaces, "I don't recover that fast."  
  
He nods. Sesshomaru growls and looks around. He bends over and rips off a chunk of the roof. He proceeds to twist the metal girder into a ball, working off his anger.  
  
"Rin?" Kagome whispers as she places her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"When I found out who hurt her." Sesshomaru growls. His eyes are red.  
  
Kagome squeezes his shoulder. "Kick him in the balls for me. Nobody hurts a little girl like Rin and gets away with it."  
  
Sesshomaru looks at Kagome. "This is your world. Do you have a way to get us to your home quickly?"  
  
Kagome grimaces, "well . . . There are airplanes that travel from here to Tokyo. It'll take most of a day." She looks up. She points to the running lights of a jetliner flying over the city. "That is one of the airplanes that I'm talking about."  
  
Sesshomaru looks up, and nods. "Good." Sesshomaru smiles, "Much faster than if I can fly us there."  
  
"Not good, Sesshomaru." Kagome shakes her head.  
  
"Why?"  
  
A pause.  
  
"If you travel via a ship, you have to pay a passage fee, right?" she asks.  
  
"Of course." Sesshomaru replies. He frowns. "Do we have anything that can be used as money or barter?"  
  
"No. paper money is used here."  
  
His frown increases, "that is not a sign on a good ruler. The daimyo's that print paper money is not a ruler that one trusts."  
  
"It's different here in my world." Kagome replies. "Everyone uses paper money." She grins, "unless they use electronic money."  
  
"Electronic?"  
  
"The money exists inside of computers, only. No coins, no paper. It's just on a computer scene."  
  
"Similar to what we saw on that Star war's world?"  
  
Kagome nods. 'Idiotic. How can that money be real, if you can't touch it?' Sesshomaru thinks. 'hmmm, you can't touch ghosts, but they are real, so maybe, something like that might work. But, I'd never trust it.'  
  
Sesshomaru growls, "And I assume that the humans here are so stupid that they would not recognize my innate superiority and give us a free ride, as a gift for not killing them?"  
  
Kagome grimaces, "I'd like not to kill people, or cause a scene, Sesshomaru."  
  
"That is expected, Kagome." Sesshomaru stares into her eyes, "but, Rin is hurt. And that." Kagome places her hand on his arm. He stops talking.  
  
Kagome nods, "I know. But, if we don't plan and think, first, we'll get into a lot of trouble and it'll take even longer to reach her."  
  
He growls, louder, "I know, Miko Higurashi Kagome. That is why I am standing here, listening to you, instead of flying off. Our trips to various worlds have, at least, taught me to plan first."  
  
Kagome removes her hand from his arm and bows, deeply to him. "I am sorry, Lord of the Western Lands. Shippo is also hurt, and I am trying to think of ways to get us home, as fast as possible."  
  
Sesshomaru takes a deep breath and lets it out.  
  
He nods. "Very well, my consort. We don't have money to purchase a trip home. Is there a way to acquire that money? Or are there other ways to get home?"  
  
Kagome looks around. She shakes her head. "Getting the money is one problem, Sesshomaru. There is another problem."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
She purses her lips, thinking about a way to explain this to him. "Many daimyo's have toll booths on the roads that he controls."  
  
He nods.  
  
"At those booths, the soldiers, in addition to collecting the toll money, also ask questions about who is traveling, why they are traveling, etc., right?" "Common practice." Sesshomaru replies, "I believe that there are hundreds of such booths between Kyoto and Edo."  
  
Kagome nods, 'Inu-yasha and Shippo always slip around those booths, and Miroku can normally talk us through them without problems.' She thinks.  
  
"Well," She says, "they do something similar here. We'll be asked to show who we are and why we are traveling before they let us on a plane."  
  
"And we don't have anything that they would recognize as proof. I take it." Sesshomaru remarks in a dry voice.  
  
Kagome shakes her head.  
  
"Bribes?" Sesshomaru starts to ask. "But, we don't have any money to bribe with. Hmmm."  
  
"And they hire honest people to ask those questions, Sesshomaru. So you can't bribe them."  
  
Sesshomaru's eyebrow raises, "humans can be bribed, Kagome." He raises his hand to stop her, he can see that she's was about to open her mouth.  
  
"But, we don't have the money. And, differing to you and since I don't want to waste more time as you try to explain how bribery doesn't work here, I won't mention it."  
  
Kagome growls, "And they expect people to have paperwork with them. That paperwork proves that you are whom you say you are."  
  
Sesshomaru thinks, 'that's even easier to get around. Just because you've got a scroll saying that you're working for the shogun doesn't mean that you are the person mentioned in the scroll.'  
  
"Is there a way to get us home faster than this Sesshomaru flying us there?" he demands, "that we can use, given our resources, of course."  
  
Kagome grimaces, "give me a minute to think, ok."  
  
He nods.  
  
Kagome thinks, 'how to get home? The JEDI mind trick helps, of course, but it only really works on one person at a time. And they'll be people watching on security cameras.' She pauses.  
  
She looks around, this time at the piece of metal that Sesshomaru smashed into a ball. Then she looks around at the skyscrapers around them.  
  
"Sesshomaru?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Pay attention to your senses. It is possible that people are watching us via machines. And they could send people up to find out about us."  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "There are a large number of different noises below us, Kagome. I am not familiar with most of them."  
  
Kagome nods. "I know, just be prepared in case we have to move quickly."  
  
He looks around and begins to pace around the roof of the building. 'I don't want to be surprised.' He thinks.  
  
As he walks around, he suppresses a sneeze. 'The air here is fowl. I know that human's don't have a sense of smell, but surely they can smell this?' He thinks. 'And the noises . . . I'm having to ignore most of what my ears are telling me, just so I can concentrate on what is happening close to us. I hope that any foes here do not take advantage of that.'  
  
He glances at Kagome. 'But, she seems comfortable in this setting. Hmmm. I've always known that her upbringing was unusual, but, this puts a different perspective on that. In many of the worlds that we've traveled she's enjoyed the wilderness. I wonder, is that because she lives in a world without such areas?'  
  
He shakes his head, 'I've got to think about Rin. In case she can't find a quick way to travel, I've got to.' He thinks.  
  
Kagome thinks, 'well, that's one thing out of the way. Now, let's concentrate on the real problem. Can we bluff our way onto a plane? Probably. Between his speed and the mind trick it should be possible. But. It takes hours to reach japan. Will there be soldiers waiting for us when we get off? Probably. And even if there isn't, sooner or later, my face or my fingerprints will pop up in some security check. I know that my mom has given mine and Sota's fingerprints to the police, as part of one of their finding lost children drives.'  
  
She growls. 'By boat? I don't think that the security checks are that close on boats. Sure. That will work, but Sesshomaru can fly us there faster.' She allows a small smile on her face, 'we'll have to get an atlas, so we know where to fly.'  
  
She purses her lips, 'what other way? By train? Hmmm. Maybe. I'm sure that the mind trick will work. And the security checks are very loose on trains, I think. Take a train to Los Angeles, and then fly home? No. Same problem.'  
  
"Anything?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
He frowns, 'my ears are hearing something below us. A group of men gathering? Maybe. There is too much noise to be sure.' He stretches his hands and places one of them on the hilt of Tokijin.  
  
"Sesshomaru?"  
  
"Something, Kagome, but answer my question."  
  
"Maybe." Kagome replies. "I think that if we take a train, we could use that to move, at least to the other side of the continent."  
  
Sesshomaru grunts.  
  
Kagome thinks, 'have Sesshomaru fly us from LA? No. he doesn't have the endurance. Maybe fly or take the train up to Alaska. Then fly to Siberia, or better, yet, use the Aleutians and fly down them to the Kuril islands and reach Japan from the north?'  
  
Kagome nods. "I think that I've got something Sesshomaru."  
  
"Good." He replies. "You can explain later, however. A group of men is gathering below us. I am smelling gunpowder."  
  
"Police or security." Kagome replies. She looks up in the sky. There might be a helicopter in the air near them, but, if it is, it's at a distance. 'The lighting up here isn't that good. So, hopefully they're just going off some motion sensors,' Kagome eyes the nearby skyscrapers, 'and reports from people in those buildings.'  
  
Kagome steps into Sesshomaru's arms. "Fly us to the ground, in a dark area. WE can adjust our clothing, and I can see about explaining my plan."  
  
Sesshomaru nods, wraps his arms around her and flies off the building.  
  
A couple of minutes later, a group of police officers open the door the roof and look around. Nothing, but Sesshomaru's waded up piece of steel.  
  
On the ground . . . in a dark alley.  
  
Sesshomaru lands and releases Kagome.  
  
Kagome step back, concentrates, and changes her clothes into a black pantsuit. "Do you still have those sunglasses?" she asks him. He nods. "Ok, good. Just change your clothes into something like the suits that inu-yasha was wearing."  
  
Sesshomaru blinks, then realizes that she means the Inu-yasha that he killed. He changes his clothes into a stylish suit.  
  
"Change the color to black, please." Kagome asks.  
  
She smiles, 'Expect for the white hair, he looks just like that movie 'Men in black'.' She thinks.  
  
"And what is humorous?"  
  
Kagome's smile widens, "the clothes, Sesshomaru reminds me of a movie I once saw."  
  
He grunts. "What is your plan?"  
  
"I need to find a map of the United States and the world so I can explain it to you." Kagome replies.  
  
"Where we will find such a map?"  
  
Kagome licks her lips, "a book store. We'll have to ask for directions to one." She replies. 'If it's open, I'll use the JEDI mind trick.' Sesshomaru nods. He frowns, his head swings to the opening of the alley.  
  
A group of men, maybe half-a-dozen has entered the alley. Sesshomaru can smell the alcohol on their breath. He can also smell something similar to opium on a couple of them.  
  
"Hey!" one of the says. He points deeper into the alley. "There's a couple in here." They walk closer to Sesshomaru and Kagome.  
  
"Yeah!" one of his friends says. "An old man and a girl."  
  
Sesshomaru growls at the old man reference.  
  
"your white hair." Kagome hisses at him. "Let me handle this."  
  
She steps in front of Sesshomaru. "If you'll excuse us. We need to leave the alley." She politely half-bows to the men.  
  
"I don't think so, whore." The first man says. Kagome is close enough now to smell the alcohol on his breath and the see that the man's clothing is leather, with spikes on the shoulders. A quick glance at all the men, tells Kagome that they are all dressed in spiked leather.  
  
'A gang.' Kagome thinks. 'Great . . . '  
  
"You want to get down on your knees, hole." One of the men orders Kagome, "once you've given us the same thing that you've given the old man, you can go."  
  
One of his friends pats him on the back, "yeah! Free blow jobs for all of us!"  
  
Sesshomaru places his hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Let me." Kagome shakes her head.  
  
Kagome looks at the men. She waves her hand in front of her. "Let us go, please."  
  
The men look at each other. They pause. One of them burps, loudly, which breaks the hold of Kagome's mind trick.  
  
The leader shakes his head, then says, "Girl, you've been watching too many Star Wars movies." He pats his groin, unzipping. "Now. On your knees and suck."  
  
Sesshomaru moves in front of Kagome. "In diffidence to my consort, this Sesshomaru will allow you scum to live, if you leave, now." He growls at the men.  
  
They laugh. "Listen to the old geezer!"  
  
One of the men, who is taller, thicker and heavier than Sesshomaru reaches out and shoves Sesshomaru, "Go away, old man, and we won't hurt you."  
  
Sesshomaru grabs his wrist. He twists, the sound of breaking bones is heard in the alley. The man screams in pain!  
  
Sesshomaru shoves the man against his friends, smashing three of the gang into a concrete wall. His fists pound a couple of other men into unconsciousness.  
  
Kagome pretends to kick the man closest to her. He bends down to grab her leg, but, she strikes him on the forehead, while he looking down. He falls to the ground unconscious.  
  
"Humans." Sesshomaru sneers as he looks at the unconscious men.  
  
Kagome sighs. She frowns. 'I've been around Miroku too long. But. It does solve a couple of problems.'  
  
She bends down and begins to search the men.  
  
"Kagome?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
"Sesshomaru, they'll have on them some money, maybe a credit card we can use. I hope that one of them will have a cell phone, so I can call my mother again."  
  
He nods. "Useful items."  
  
Kagome sighs, "I don't like looting, Sesshomaru. It reminds me too much of Miroku, but."  
  
"They attacked us, so they will pay." Sesshomaru bends down and begins to search the men, showing Kagome anything that he finds. He also watches Kagome and removes anything similar to what she removes.  
  
Sesshomaru looks at the entrance of the alley. He whispers, "I'm hearing talk about police from outside the alley."  
  
Kagome looks up and looks around, the alley is dark, but someone could have noticed the fight. "Fly us to the top of another building, Sesshomaru. Getting involved with the police is not something that we want to do."  
  
Sesshomaru gathers her into his arms. "Wait!" she cries. She scrambles up near the entrance of the alley. She reaches down and grabs something on the ground and runs back to Sesshomaru.  
  
"What?" He says as he starts to fly.  
  
"A newspaper, Sesshomaru." Kagome replies. "It'll help update me on what's happening, I hope. And, especially, if there's a travel section in it, there might be a map that I can use."  
  
A few minutes later, on a different rooftop.  
  
Kagome begins to flip through the newspaper, trying to locate a map that she can use.  
  
"Where is the location of the place that the airplanes leave from?" Sesshomaru demands. 'I know we need to plan, but, Rin . . . '  
  
Kagome reaches out and grabs his hand and squeezes, she looks at him, "what are you thinking about, Sesshomaru? Just barging in, and taking a plane?"  
  
'The thoughts of Rin's injuries must be getting to him.' She thinks.  
  
He nods. "Your world, from what you've said, is only human. I can defeat any group of humans."  
  
Kagome grimaces. She sighs, "Sesshomaru. As a last resort, I can see us doing that." She holds up her hand, preventing him from speaking, "but, only as a last resort."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Three reasons: one, the army also has airplanes and they will use them to shot down any airplane that we steal. Unlike in the world with Inu-yasha, we'll be trapped on that plane for hours, and they'll know exactly where we are. How would you like to shoot down over an ocean, like we were on Gilligan's world?"  
  
He nods.  
  
"Two: Even if we get to japan, there will be forces waiting on us, when we land. And, they could be waiting for us at my house. Do you want Rin to be in the middle of that type of battle?"  
  
He grimaces.  
  
"Three: this is my world, Sesshomaru. So, unlike all the other worlds, what we do, can affect myself, and my family." She stares into his eyes. "If we need to get to Rin quickly, I won't care about that, but, I would like it, if we possibly could, get there without the world knowing about you and your powers."  
  
Kagome lays down the paper. "Here, let me show you what I've thought about." She points to a map of the US and Canada. It does not show a lot of details. The article is about security checkpoints along the border and how many people cross them on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.  
  
She points to New York. "This is where we are, Sesshomaru." She points to the scale at the bottom corner and explains how to read it. "My plan, I think, is travel across the country." Her finger goes across the map. "Then travel up this coast." Her finger traces the west coast.  
  
Kagome grimaces, "I didn't see a map, so just follow along, Sesshomaru, please. The coast continues north, then it curves like this. There are a couple of strings of islands that we can fly from island to island. And eventually, we'll end up in Northern japan."  
  
Sesshomaru grunts. "That will be much longer than what you said earlier."  
  
She nods. "That distance assumed we flew in a straight line, Sesshomaru."  
  
"How long?" He asks.  
  
Kagome sighs and folds the newspaper. "I don't know. There will be trains that we can take. I suppose. We can even use the JEDI mind trick to convince people to drive us in their cars."  
  
"To long." He growls.  
  
"It's the best that I can think of." Kagome whispers.  
  
Sesshomaru can smell the tears begin to form. He bends down and hugs her. "I know, my consort." He sighs. "I had been hoping you could come up with something else, but, it looks like we'll have to use my idea."  
  
Kagome looks at him. "Stealing a plane?"  
  
He shakes his head, no. "No. not that. It is something else."  
  
Kagome's eyes widen in surprise, "What?" she thinks, 'What can he be thinking about?'  
  
Sesshomaru stands up, "You do know that I'm a demon, of course. And you do know about the various hells."  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
"My plan is to open a portal into hell, and then, from hell, we can open a portal near your house."  
  
Kagome blinks in surprise. "Are you sure we can do that?"  
  
Sesshomaru pauses, "It should be possible. If you open a portal to hell, no matter where you are in japan, you open it up at the same location in hell. So, the locations in hell are not tied to the locations on earth."  
  
Kagome nods. "Ok. I can see that."  
  
"And if they are tied together, and we have to travel in hell," Sesshomaru grins, showing his fangs, "Well, I'm sure that you won't mind if I force them to follow my orders."  
  
Kagome swallows. 'I suppose it'll work.'  
  
She frowns, "Why didn't you think about this earlier?"  
  
Sesshomaru raises his eyebrow, "each universe that we've traveled to are unique Kagome, this plan would not allow us to travel between universes. And on the various world's that we've been on, we've never needed to travel a long distance."  
  
"What about that vampire world?" Kagome asks.  
  
Sesshomaru shrugs, "you came up with a plan, which I thought would work, that did not require this. So, I never mentioned it."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Kagome looks around, "ok, do we need anything to open that portal?"  
  
Sesshomaru looks around. "Since I'm going to assume that you would dislike me to use a human sacrifice."  
  
"Sesshomaru!"  
  
"A horse will do, or some other large animal." Sesshomaru says. "A dragon, lion or tiger would be better, even better than a human in some respects, but they are harder to find."  
  
Kagome slumps. 'Where?' she blinks, "central park. I've seen horse drawn carriages in movies." She whispers.  
  
"Where is this 'central park'?"  
  
"Fly us up high, Sesshomaru. It should be visible." Kagome says as she steps into his arms.  
  
'I hope that all this flying around won't be noticed.' She thinks, 'but, trying to walk around would take longer, and I don't think he'll like that. Hopefully, in the dark, my face will not be visible.'  
  
A few minutes later. In Central Park.  
  
Sesshomaru frowns, 'I smell a lion?'  
  
"Can you see or smell some horses, Sesshomaru?" Kagome asks.  
  
"I can. I can also smell a lion."  
  
"Ahh. There might be a zoo in the park." Kagome frowns. "But let's find a horse, instead, Sesshomaru. If there is a lion it will be in a zoo, and there'll be additional guards."  
  
He grunts. "There are horses in this direction." He points.  
  
"Let's go." Kagome says, as she grabs his arm and drags him in that direction.  
  
In a few minutes, they find a stable with some horses. "Just knock out the guard, Sesshomaru." Kagome whispers, as they look around.  
  
He sighs. He vanishes in a blink of an eye. A few seconds later, the door opens, and Sesshomaru waves her inside. He closes the door once she enters.  
  
"Hang on, a second, Sesshomaru." Kagome writes down the address of the stable. 'Once we get home, I'll see about sending something to pay for the horse.' She blinks, "Wait." She takes out the cash that they looted from the gang and places it down on one of the desks.  
  
She shakes her head. "No. This might have my fingerprints. I'll find a different way to pay them." She picks up the cash.  
  
While Kagome is puttering around the office, Sesshomaru is drawing a magical symbol on the floor.  
  
He takes a horse out of the stable and walks it into the middle of the symbol. "I'm ready."  
  
Kagome walks out of the office. "What will we use in hell?"  
  
"Some of the demons, of course." Sesshomaru replies.  
  
She grimaces and nods.  
  
They stand in the symbol.  
  
Sesshomaru begins to chant.  
  
He slashes the horse's throat.  
  
The end . . . chapter 1.

* * *

Author's note: feudal Japanese measurements: A basic unit: KEN the length of which varied from town to town. In Kyoto it was 1.9 meters. In Edo it was 1.75 meters. (Or 6 foot 3 inches to 5 foot 9 inches)  
  
Then, increasing in size, was CHO, which was 60 KEN's. (which varied remember.)  
  
Then, increasing in size, was RI, which was 36 CHO's. (Or about 3.80 kilometers to more than 4.1 kilometers. Or about 2.5 miles, or -)  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	3. how to get home

Kagome's Return chapter 2  
  
In a few minutes, they find a stable with some horses. "Just knock out the guard, Sesshomaru." Kagome whispers, as they look around.  
  
He sighs. He vanishes in a blink of an eye. A few seconds later, the door opens, and Sesshomaru waves her inside. He closes the door once she enters.  
  
"Hang on, a second, Sesshomaru." Kagome writes down the address of the stable. 'Once we get home, I'll see about sending something to pay for the horse.' She blinks, "Wait." She takes out the cash that they looted from the gang and places it down on one of the desks.  
  
She shakes her head. "No. This might have my fingerprints. I'll find a different way to pay them." She picks up the cash.  
  
While Kagome is puttering around the office, Sesshomaru is drawing a magical symbol on the floor.  
  
He takes a horse out of the stable and walks it into the middle of the symbol. "I'm ready."  
  
Kagome walks out of the office. "What will we use in hell?"  
  
"Some of the demons, of course." Sesshomaru replies.  
  
She grimaces and nods.  
  
They stand in the symbol.  
  
Sesshomaru begins to chant.  
  
He slashes the horse's throat.  
  
A portal full of absolute blackness opens.  
  
All the other horses in the stable's whiny in fear and try to break free of their ropes.  
  
Kagome takes a step toward it.  
  
Sesshomaru stops her from entering the portal.  
  
A low, rough growl sounds in Sesshomaru's chest.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome hesitantly asks in a small voice.  
  
"Something is wrong." He replies, "That is not how the spell operates."  
  
A tentacle of absolute black stretches from the portal it 'looks' around and then wraps around Kagome.  
  
Kagome bites her lips as the tentacle wraps around her. Weakness, fatigue, despairs seeps into her . . .  
  
Kagome concentrates her hand's glow white. The Tentacle squeezes her, hard, the pain breaks her concentration and the glow of her hand's fade.  
  
Sesshomaru slashes the tentacle with Tokijin, without visible effect.  
  
The Tentacle lifts up Kagome and throws her toward the wall.  
  
Sesshomaru, moving at full speed, catches her before she hits the wall.  
  
The Tentacle wraps around Sesshomaru. He shoves Kagome away from him.  
  
He screams in agony, "ARGhh!" His hands try to grab the tentacle, but for some reason he cannot seem to touch the tentacle.  
  
Kagome looks around for a weapon. 'Damn. He's carrying the weapons. Since this is my world, I didn't want to have a sword around my waist.' She instantly thinks.  
  
A second tentacle whips out of the portal and reaches for Kagome. She rolls away from it, smashing into a trash can, with a broom leaning against it. It tips over, spilling its contents onto her.  
  
Kagome grabs the broom and hits one of the stalls with the broom. The head of the broom snaps off, leaving a jagged point. This turns the broom handle into a makeshift spear.  
  
Sesshomaru screams again. Kagome can see the black tentacle wrapping around his chest. She can hear his bones shatter.  
  
Kagome charges the spear with her power. The spear glows white.  
  
Kagome throws the glowing white spear into the portal. A blinding flash of light fills the sable. All the horses' whiny of panic reaches a crescendo.  
  
The light fades . . .  
  
The portal is gone.  
  
Sesshomaru falls face first to the ground, like a sack of grain, bleeding from his mouth, ears and eyes.  
  
Kagome rushes to him and carefully turns his body over, so she can see his face. She gasps and places her ear to his chest.  
  
Nothing . . . 'no heart beat!' she thinks.  
  
She places her hands on his chest. "Live!" She yells through gritted teeth.  
  
Her hands glow. The glow spreads up her arms and over his body.  
  
Sesshomaru's body jerks. "Live! Sesshomaru!" she screams.  
  
The glow fades . . .  
  
Sesshomaru coughs, spitting blood over him and Kagome. She wraps him in her arms. Sesshomaru hugs her back.  
  
"Are you Ok?" She whispers.  
  
"Yes. Thanks to you." He whispers back. He kisses the top of her head.  
  
"What happened?" Kagome asks in a frightened voice.  
  
Sesshomaru sits up, coughs, and licks his lips. "This Sesshomaru does not know. The spell, perhaps, opened to a different hell?"  
  
"Do we try it again?"  
  
A pause.  
  
"Sesshomaru?"  
  
"This Sesshomaru is unsure, my consort. Spells that open portals to hell are not something to be treated lightly. If I knew what hell we opened, I could try to modify the spell. But, I do not know exactly what hell the portal opened to."  
  
Kagome shivers, "Opening a random portal to a random hell doesn't sound like a good idea."  
  
"It is not a good idea." Sesshomaru replies. He frowns and looks out one of the windows. "The light must have been visible, Kagome, and it has attracted attention. I'm hearing approaching humans."  
  
Kagome looks out the window, herself. She doesn't see anything, but, given her senses, that's to be expected. "Let's leave before they get here."  
  
Sesshomaru nods, gathers her into his arms, and he quickly vanishes from the stable.  
  
A couple of minutes later. A police car rolls up, lights flashing.  
  
Sesshomaru flies over Central Park and lands in one of the wooded areas of the park.  
  
They both concentrate on their clothes, and clean themselves.  
  
Kagome smiles, "this a bit more comfortable than being in among all those buildings, right, Sesshomaru." She says in a teasing voice. She thinks, 'Something to lighten things up. He's not going to like the fact that his plan didn't work.'  
  
He grunts as he turns around, ignoring her. 'What happened? I know that I've only rarely used spells like that. But. I don't make mistakes like that. I must investigate this, once I get more time.' He thinks.  
  
Kagome places her hand on his shoulder and squeezes. "It's ok, Sesshomaru. We'll get home."  
  
"I believe you found a, what did you call it, a cell phone on those thugs that we fought earlier." Sesshomaru says, "You did interrupt your phone call to your mother. I believe that we will be here long enough for you to call again."  
  
"Your right, I did." Kagome says. She kisses where his shoulder blade juts out. "Thank you, for reminding me."  
  
'He wants to find out about Rin, but he doesn't want to ask me.' She thinks.  
  
Kagome flips open the cell phone and calls.  
  
The phone rings . . .  
  
"Hello. This is the Higurashi Residence." Sota answers.  
  
"Sota!"  
  
"Kagome! Hang on! I'll get mom!"  
  
A couple of second later.  
  
"Kagome!" Mrs. H's voice is full of relief.  
  
"Mother! How are they?!"  
  
"Better."  
  
"Do you have time to talk?" Kagome's voice is full of relief.  
  
"Yes. I hope. Sota's is watching them. Chika just left. She needs to get some supplies from her house."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Mrs. H sighs . . .  
  
"I don't know. Inu-yasha dropped them off. He said something about Naraku attacking."  
  
"Naraku attacked the village." Kagome whispers. "I was gone, and he took advantage of that."  
  
"I, I don't know, Kagome. Inu-yasha said something about Shippo trying to trick him, but he didn't go into details."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Kagome?" Kagome's mother asks in a quiet voice.  
  
"How are they, really?" Kagome replies in a quiet voice.  
  
Mrs. H sighs, again, deeper.  
  
"Chika didn't know what to think about Shippo. I think, that if it had just been him, I think she would not have noticed Rin. But, Rin . . . " Mrs. H's voice trails off.  
  
"What about her?" Kagome asks as she looks at Sesshomaru. She can see him tense. She can hear his teeth grind together. Her mystical senses can feel his anger.  
  
"She. She is unconscious. Chika said that none of the injuries are life- threatening, except for her skull. Without X-ray's, Chika wasn't sure, but, Rin is in a coma."  
  
"Any idea when she'll wake up?"  
  
"No." Mrs. h, slowly replies. "If she ever wakes up." A pause . . .  
  
"Keep her alive, Mother." Kagome voice sharpens as she orders her mother. "Even if that means taking her to a hospital. Keeping my life normal is not worth losing hers."  
  
Even Kagome can hear her mother's sharp intake of breath at that order. Sesshomaru spins around, and looks at her.  
  
"Of course." Mrs. H replies. "I had already made that decision."  
  
"Thank you, mother." Kagome whispers.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
Kagome's eyes flick to Sesshomaru. She holds the phone up to him and mouths the words, "Do you want to talk to her?"  
  
Sesshomaru looks at the phone. He pales, slightly, and shakes his head, no.  
  
Kagome raises an eyebrow, and conceals a smile.  
  
"Kagome, have you thought about how to get home?" Mrs. H asks. "I don't know how to send you money. And I know that you don't have a passport."  
  
"Yes. We've been talking about it, trying to plan."  
  
"We?" Mrs. H interrupts. "AH, yes. That other voice, you said, the first time, was Sesshomaru, I believe."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Wait. Plan? You two are planning something. From everything that you've told me about him, Sesshomaru is one of your enemies."  
  
"We've learned to depend on each other, mother."  
  
"Depend on each other?"  
  
Kagome blushes. "Can it wait until I can explain it to you in person?" she sputters.  
  
A pause.  
  
"I see." Mrs. H hisses.  
  
A pause . . . "What is this plan that you have thought about?" Mrs. H finally asks.  
  
"Right now, it looks like we'll have to travel across the united states, then up Canada, and circle around the pacific like that."  
  
"Why? Ah. No money and no visa." Mrs. h replies. "You said that Sesshomaru can fly?"  
  
"Yes, he can mother, but the distances."  
  
"I understand." She says, then, after a small pause. She mentions, "That route will take time."  
  
"Yes. I know. But, I don't see any other choice." Kagome replies. "If we had a visa and some money, it'll be different, but."  
  
"Hmmm." Mrs. H replies. "Hang on a second, my dear. I want to get something."  
  
Mrs. h leaves the phone.  
  
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru. "Do I need to ask about Rin? Or are there any other questions that you want me to ask?" she whispers.  
  
Sesshomaru purses his lips. "Not right now." He pauses, as he acts like there is something else he wants to say, then he shakes his head, no. 'How do I talk to her mother? My normal manner of speaking to a human, is not a good idea, I believe. So? How do I talk to her?' he thinks.  
  
Kagome slowly shakes her head.  
  
"Kagome?" Mrs. H's voice sounds in the phone.  
  
"Yes, mother?"  
  
"I think I've found a way for you to get a visa."  
  
"How?"  
  
"A couple of days ago, the newspaper ran an article about 'sex slaves' and they mentioned that girls are kidnaped and sold in the states."  
  
"Ok. But, I don't."  
  
"They have to smuggle the girls into the states. So, whoever is doing it, will be able to make fake visa's."  
  
"Oh, I see." Kagome breathes. "They don't have to be prefect, just good enough to last one trip."  
  
"Yes." Her mother replies. "And, since you're in New York. There should be criminals around. And if Sesshomaru is as strong a fighter as you've always said."  
  
"We can just bully our way through them, until we find someone that can make a fake visa for us." Kagome interrupts.  
  
"And, I'm sure that they'll have some money that you can use to pay for the tickets." Her mother completes her plan.  
  
A quick low laugh escapes Kagome's mouth, "I need to plan with you more often, Mother. This is better than my plan or Sesshomaru's plan."  
  
Sesshomaru starts to growl, but sharply nods. "This Sesshomaru will need you, Miko Higurashi Kagome, to explain this plan."  
  
Kagome, over the phone, nods to him. "I will, Sesshomaru."  
  
"He's listening?" Kagome's mother asks. "Ah. I see. His hearing."  
  
A pause.  
  
"Mother?"  
  
"I'll want to see his eyes, my daughter, before I talk to him."  
  
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru.  
  
His eyebrow raises. He nods, slowly. "Any woman that can raise you, Miko Higurashi Kagome, is special. That request." His lips twist into something that might be a smile, "Simply shows that."  
  
A pause. Mrs. H softly laughs into the phone.  
  
"Mother?"  
  
"Nothing, Kagome. I'll explain when you get home."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Sota just waved from the top of the stairs. I'll talk to you later." Kagome's mother says, just before she hangs up.  
  
"Bye, mom." Kagome says into the silent phone. She closes it.  
  
"Well?" Sesshomaru asks, "What is this plan?"  
  
Kagome purses her lips as she thinks, "There are criminals in this city."  
  
"All cities have criminals."  
  
"These criminals, in order to operate, make fake identity papers. The papers that we'd need in order to purchase travel on one of the airplanes."  
  
He nods. "I see."  
  
"And, while I don't like stealing, I have no problems taking their money to pay for those tickets." Kagome says, slowly. Sesshomaru nods.  
  
She continues, "basically, we locate them." She smiles, "you'll get to kill or smash them up. They'll direct us to someone that can furnish us with the fake paperwork. And we use that, and some money we take from them, to fly home."  
  
"How do we locate these criminals?" Sesshomaru looks around. "This city is many times larger than Kyoto or Osaka."  
  
Kagome nods. "Hmmm. How?" she blinks, "Sesshomaru, do you know what opium smells like?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Opium is illegal. The people that smuggle it into the city will have access to people that can give us fake identity papers."  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "I locate the opium, and then we when locate the criminals?"  
  
Kagome smiles, "you get to release some of your frustrations."  
  
The tips of Sesshomaru's fangs peak out between his lips . . .  
  
A few minutes later . . .  
  
"Sesshomaru. We'll have to find someplace else." Kagome whispers to Sesshomaru as they look at a brightly lit building.  
  
"Why? I can smell something like opium, all throughout that building." Sesshomaru replies.  
  
"Because, Sesshomaru, that is a hospital." Kagome points to the emergency entrance. "We can't attack it. What you are smelling is the morphine in it."  
  
"Then where shall we go?" Sesshomaru growls. 'I hate this city. The smells are disguising. And Kagome is forcing me to hide in the shadows. The buildings are a marvel, perhaps. But. I want to get home. And from the visits to the city she called Tokyo in previous worlds. They are not much better. She's mentioned that Inu-yasha doesn't spend much time on her side of the well. I can see why.'  
  
Kagome frowns, "We need to go someplace where there are a lot of shadows. You know like where that gang was."  
  
"A couple of them smelled of opium." Sesshomaru remarks.  
  
"Good. Then, hopefully, somewhere around there, we'll find someone."  
  
Sesshomaru frowns as he looks around, trying to orient himself and their travels. He gathers Kagome in his arms and he flies away.  
  
Inside the hospital . . .  
  
"Nurse! Nurse!" A teenage boy, with his arm in sling yells.  
  
A nurse enters into the room. "Yes! What do you need?!"  
  
"I just saw someone fly by the window!"  
  
The nurse looks at the teenager. She looks at his chart. 'His painkiller shouldn't cause hallucinations. I wonder what other drugs are in his system? I'll go along with him and see if he tells me.'  
  
She smiles, "that's wonderful!"  
  
"You don't believe me . . . "  
  
A few minutes later, near where Kagome and Sesshomaru meet that gang.  
  
Kagome and Sesshomaru are standing on a roof overlooking another building. Both buildings are dimly lit. "I can smell something like opium in that building." He points.  
  
Kagome nods. "Is that a back door?" she points.  
  
"I think so. It is an opening."  
  
Kagome looks around. 'No police. And the other people that I'm can see, don't look like their upstanding citizens. So.' She looks at Sesshomaru.  
  
She can see his jaw clench. 'He's getting frustrated. The smells and noises of the city have to be hurting him. And he wants to begin to travel home, not sneak around a city. In addition I'm sure his feeling about Rin.' She forms her hands into fists. Her nails dig deep into her palm. 'No. Don't think about Shippo. No. Don't think about Inu-yasha. Don't think about the village at Naraku's mercy. Don't think about that.' She thinks.  
  
"Sesshomaru." She reaches out and pets his arm. "The criminals have their own slang words and culture. I've seen enough movies that I can probably imitate them, and get us inside without combat."  
  
He looks at her, without expression.  
  
"But." She smiles, "that takes time. And I want to get home."  
  
"So." He hisses.  
  
"Do you smell guns inside the building?" she asks. "And how many people are in the building?"  
  
"There are guns, and there are about a dozen humans in the building. Most of them seem to be in a room in that part of the building." He points to a place near the back door of the building.  
  
"Give me my sword. And break out the guns." She smiles. "Right now, I'm in a very Inu-yasha type mood and just want to smash some heads."  
  
Small flames appear in Sesshomaru's eyes.  
  
"We will need them alive, so we can ask them questions, ok?"  
  
He grunts, but nods. He swings the backpack off his shoulders.  
  
A minute later.  
  
In the alley behind the building. In front of the door stands Sesshomaru. He is wearing his swords, but his gun is slung. 'These are only humans, so why do I need a gun? I won't even need my swords.' He thinks.  
  
Kagome is standing beside him, she is looking around, making sure that no one is watching. "I'm ready." She whispers.  
  
Sesshomaru rips the door on the building. He enters the building.  
  
Kagome, her hand on her gun, shakes her head as she follows him.  
  
Less than a minute later . . .  
  
In a smashed up room, near the backdoor, there is a table. On the table are bags of various powders, pills, and other drug paraphernalia. A large black shoulder bag is on the table, it is partially opened and it is full of cash. On the floor, in addition to some trash, are half-a-dozen bleeding and unconscious humans. A dozen or so broken guns and knives are also laying on the floor.  
  
Sesshomaru is holding a large, beefy man by the throat, one-handed, well off the floor. The man is trying to struggle but Sesshomaru is effortlessly controlling him.  
  
Kagome is standing by the table, her gun dangling by the strap.  
  
"Well?" Sesshomaru hisses at Kagome.  
  
"We need new identity papers. If you tell us where to go to get them, he'll let you go." Kagome mentions to the man that Sesshomaru is holding.  
  
"I don't know!" the man screams.  
  
Sesshomaru reaches out with his other hand and grabs the man's right hand. Sesshomaru's hand glows green.  
  
The man screams in agony! "It burns!"  
  
Kagome grimaces, but doesn't stop Sesshomaru. 'There was a young girl in here. I let her leave. It was obvious what she was doing to pay for her drugs. If they won't tell us, Sesshomaru can hurt them and force them to tell us.' She sighs, 'I don't like it, but we don't have time to be gentle.'  
  
"Tell us, human." Sesshomaru growls, looking into the man's eyes. Sesshomaru's golden eye's redden, and his fangs are visible.  
  
"you... you're not human." The man whimpers. His right hand is red with acid burns.  
  
"No, he is not." Kagome replies. 'What type of story do I tell him?'  
  
She smiles, "He was part of a government DNA experiment. I rescued him, and we need to leave the country. You've got two choices, help us and we'll leave. Or delay us, and sooner or later the government will track us." She waves at all the drugs in the room. "I'm sure that this will make them even happier."  
  
"I don't know!" the man begs. "I just carry the bags. I don't know anything!"  
  
"Is he telling the truth?" Kagome asks.  
  
"He's too frightened to lie." Sesshomaru points to the large wet spot at the man's crotch.  
  
"Then" Kagome waves to the other unconscious people in the room, "which one of these would know?" The man points to one of the unconscious men laying on the floor. "He's the boss. His name is Joe."  
  
Sesshomaru slaps the man, knocking him unconscious. He drops him to the floor. He bends over and picks up the man he pointed to. Joe is a smaller man, with long stringy hair, his clothes are of a fancier cut the first man.  
  
As Sesshomaru is standing up, with Joe in his grip, his eyes flick to the table with the drugs on it. 'What is that white powder? My sense of smell is being overwhelmed. Something inside me wants to smell it, and taste it.' His eyes flick to Kagome, who is staring distastefully around the room. 'I'll ask her later. She seems to dislike everything in this room. I must ask her why.'  
  
He glances at the doorway. 'I don't like this place. Underground, there is some massive machine that passes under us on a regular basis. The noise confuses me. And, with that white powder in the room, my sense of smell isn't what it should be. I'm not going to be able to sense humans, like I should. Still, that shouldn't be a problem, they're only humans.' He thinks.  
  
Sesshomaru holds Joe up, by his neck, and slaps him awake. "Wake up, Human." He growls into Joe's eyes, as he awakens.  
  
"What? Who?" Joe mumbles through a split lip.  
  
"Tell us where to get some fake id, Joe." Kagome says. "It'll go easier on you."  
  
"Bitch." Joe begins to say. Sesshomaru holds up his clawed hand in front of Joe's eyes.  
  
"I am not human." Sesshomaru says in his most menacing voice. "Tell us what we wish to know, and live. Refuse us and die." He smiles, showing his fangs. "Most horribly die."  
  
"Sure. Sure." Joe looks around. 'What are these two? One second we were having a simple deal, then he shows up and everyone is down. And now?' he thinks. 'Maybe if I tell him something, he'll let me go.'  
  
"The man to see is . . . " Joe gives Sesshomaru and Kagome a name and address.  
  
"Is he telling the truth?" Kagome asks.  
  
Sesshomaru looks at Joe. "No. He was lying." He grabs one of Joe's hands and burns it. "Tell us the truth!" Sesshomaru growls as the smell of Sesshomaru's acid fills the room.  
  
CLICK  
  
Sesshomaru instantly flings Joe into the wall and spins around.  
  
In the doorway is a couple of men. One has a pistol in each hand. The other has a shotgun.  
  
The guy with the shotgun is pointing toward Sesshomaru. The guy with the pistols has them aimed at Kagome.  
  
'The noise of that machine, the smell of the powder, I didn't notice them!' He thinks in that instant.  
  
Both men, seeing Sesshomaru's move, instinctively pull the trigger on their guns.  
  
Sesshomaru is fast. He can dodge bullets, even. But. In this case there isn't a lot of space in the room. And, one of the weapons is a shotgun, which is not shooting a single slung.  
  
In the instant, the one in which the guns fire, Sesshomaru moves.  
  
He manages to dodge the shotgun pellets. He manages to shove Kagome under the table and anyway from the pistol bullets. He, even, manages to dodge one of the pistol pullets, but not both.  
  
Both men fire again, into Sesshomaru's prone body on the floor.  
  
Kagome rolls under the table and pops up, her machine gun firing. Both men dance as the bullets hit them and the doorway.  
  
They fall over dead . . .  
  
Kagome pulls out Jaa Kalpa and waves it at the doorway. A wall of ice forms sealing the room.  
  
She scrambles around the table and sits next to Sesshomaru. 'He saved my life, again.' She thinks, 'but, this time, at least, I get to save his right back.'  
  
She places her hands on his body. Her hands glow.  
  
Sesshomaru groans. He spits out a bullet. 'That hurt!' he thinks.  
  
"Don't move!" Joe screams as he stands up, Kagome's submachine gun in his hands.  
  
Kagome looks at him. "Don't move." She orders as she lashes out with the JEDI mind trick, but with a force and a power that would shock any JEDI.  
  
The frightened/excited expression on Joe's face vanishes. His face slackens, becoming dull.  
  
"I'm through playing by the rules." Kagome says in a low angry voice.  
  
She thinks, 'I don't like mind control spells. I've been mind controlled too many times to want to do it to another person. But, we've got to have that information. And I can hear more people on the other side of that ice wall. Sooner or later, they'll get over their surprise and break through it.'  
  
"Tell me where to get a fake passport." Kagome orders as she stares into Joe's eyes.  
  
Joe's eyes glaze over and he begins to speak.  
  
Sesshomaru stands up, inspecting his body and the room. He nods as he sees the ice wall. 'Now that I'm looking for them, I can sense about a dozen men on the other side of that wall.' He frowns, 'And I can sense that girl that Kagome let go. She must have told them about us.'  
  
"Sesshomaru, tell me when they start to move." Kagome says as she writes down the name and address that Joe is telling her.  
  
As soon as, Joe is finished. Kagome looks into his eyes, "Sleep."  
  
He falls over, unconscious.  
  
Kagome slumps and rubs her forehead. She softly moans.  
  
Sesshomaru's arm is instantly around her, "what's wrong?"  
  
"I'm just tried, Sesshomaru." Kagome whispers, "I've had to use my powers twice to bring you back to life tonight. And, then," She hugs him. "And then, those guns. I was frightened when I popped up and started shooting."  
  
She gives a low laugh, "the adrenalin just wore off."  
  
"And now?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
"And now, we take the money, smash out through the wall and into the alley and fly away." Kagome points to the wall. "With guns going off, I'm sure that the police will be here soon. And I want to get away before they show up."  
  
Sesshomaru looks at the money. "Shouldn't that money be enough to bribe the police into silence?"  
  
Kagome shakes her head, "things don't work that way anymore, Sesshomaru."  
  
"hmmm. Odd. Humans are not that honest."  
  
Kagome sighs. 'I've got to teach him about humans.'  
  
Sesshomaru frowns, "I'm hearing those sirens, the ones that you said are the police, they are approaching rapidly. And the humans on the other side of the ice wall are leaving." Kagome grabs the money on the table. She looks at the unconscious humans on the floor. 'I had been thinking about burning the drugs, but, there would be no way to control the fire. However, if the police will be here soon, they'll catch them inside the room.'  
  
"Let's go, Sesshomaru." Kagome says.  
  
They leave . . .  
  
Later, close to daybreak in a better part of town . . .  
  
At the back of a nice house.  
  
"This had better be the correct place." Sesshomaru growls.  
  
Kagome's mouth twitches into a small smile, "It's taken us longer than I thought it would, but I think that this is it."  
  
She nods to the door, "go ahead and open it, Sesshomaru."  
  
The door opens before he can smash it open. An older man, wearing casual clothes opened it.  
  
"I take it that you two are the ones that have been ripping up the town tonight." He says.  
  
"Yes." Kagome nods. "We are the ones."  
  
"From what I've been told, you're looking for new identity papers, social security cards, passports, etc." The man says.  
  
"Who told you?" Sesshomaru growls over Kagome's shoulder.  
  
The man looks at Sesshomaru. He blinks. 'He is . . . ' He can feel his testicles shrink closer to his skin. He licks his lips, "I received a call, a few minutes ago." He says. He pauses, "I was told to help you."  
  
Kagome and Sesshomaru look at each other. Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. Kagome minutely shrugs.  
  
"Please enter, I'll need to take a couple of pictures and get my equipment ready." The man says as he waves them into the house.  
  
"What names should I put on the papers?" He asks as he closes the door.  
  
Elsewhere . . .  
  
The images of Kagome, Sesshomaru, and the forger fade from view.  
  
"Why didn't you just transfer them directly to Japan, instead of this . . . " Skuld asks as she waves to the mirror where the images of Kagome and Sesshomaru were.  
  
Belldandy looks at her younger sister, "because, by the time, that I was told about this. Which was only a few minutes ago, by the way." She looks at Urd. Urd looks at the ceiling, ignoring her sister. "It was easier to help them this way. I've still got to back and clean up the messes that they'd created."  
  
She sighs. "Removing the prints, evidence, planting some false stories. Making sure that nobody believes what happened tonight." She looks at Urd. "And I will have help, correct?"  
  
Urd sighs. "Yes."  
  
The end chapter 3.  
  
Authors' note: I had a reviewer point out that some of the terms I'm using are technically mistaken. Ie modern bullets don't use 'gunpowder', but they use a nitroglycerin related formula. Kagome doesn't know that. All she knows is what she's seen on TV. She uses the terms that she's seen/heard. (This applies to everything, so, if she doesn't name something properly, that could be the reason.) And since Sesshomaru has learned about the future from her, so that is what he calls it. (The professor & the skipper helped, but, Kagome still tends to name things based on what she's used to.)  
  
Thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	4. the Plane

Kagome's Return  
  
Chapter 3: the plane . . .  
  
At the forger's house.  
  
In a room in the basement . . .  
  
The man, who never gives his name, hands a passport and sheath of papers to Kagome. "Here is your new passport, Sango Takahashi."  
  
She nods and smiles at him. 'That was first name that popped into my mind.' She thinks.  
  
She has changed her appearance for the passport. Her hair is streaked with multicolored dyes. She is wearing heavy makeup which seems to add several years to her age. 'Hopefully this makeup job will work and it'll change my appearance enough so no one will recognize me.' She thinks. Her clothes are a flowery sun dress, right now. In her other hand is the black bag they picked up earlier.  
  
He hands a similar passport and paperwork to Sesshomaru. "Here is your new passport, Sesshomaru Takahashi."  
  
Sesshomaru accepts the paperwork, without emotion. 'Since this Sesshomaru only needs this for one time, why should I lie?' he thinks. Sesshomaru is wearing a stylist sports suit, with sunglasses. The backpack is still on his back. His swords are around his waist.  
  
"And here is the other paperwork you asked for." The man hands a second, smaller, sheath of papers to Kagome. "I don't remember being asked to fake this paperwork before."  
  
Kagome smiles. She glances at Sesshomaru. 'The conversation with him, about this paperwork, will not be pleasant. But, he doesn't know about the rules for boarding airplanes.' Her eyes flick to the hilts of his swords. 'Getting those past the security checks, will be difficult.'  
  
She bows in thanks. "I'm sure you liked the challenge."  
  
The man's eyebrows rise in surprise.  
  
Kagome clears her throat. She pulls out a sheath of money from the bag. "Here. For your time and effort." He accepts the money. She pulls out some more money, "And to forget about us for, say, a week."  
  
The man flicks his eyes to Sesshomaru, he nods and accepts the money.  
  
"If you'll follow me." The man says. He opens a concealed passageway in the wall. "This leads to a storm drain in a nearby park."  
  
Kagome bows to him, again and leads Sesshomaru down the tunnel.  
  
Outside, in the park. Dawn is just breaking . . .  
  
There are a couple of early morning joggers around, but the park is basically deserted. One of them has a pet dog on a leash with him.  
  
"Sesshomaru," Kagome begins. She clears her throat. "Could we find a quiet place? I need to tell you a couple of things. And tell you how the airport works, so you won't be surprised."  
  
Sesshomaru looks around, scanning the area. He nods. He grabs her elbow and directs her to a quiet grove of trees. "By the scents, this area is not heavily used."  
  
"Thank you, Sesshomaru." Kagome says as she sits down on the grass, under a couple of trees. She looks up at him. She sighs, "I'm unsure how to start, Sesshomaru."  
  
He raises an eyebrow. "While you were talking with that human, it seemed simple enough. As we walk through the, ah, airport, the various border guards and other people will ask for these papers." He shows them to her. "You made sure that he explained each piece of paper to me."  
  
Kagome nods. "Yes, I did. The translation spell, allows us to speak English, but not read it. And when the security guards ask for your passport, you need to know exactly what piece of paper to give them."  
  
"That was obvious, my dear." Sesshomaru remarks. "Why did you want to speak about that in this quiet place?"  
  
Kagome sighs, "I'm sure you noticed him staring at your swords, and the backpack."  
  
He nods.  
  
"Ok. The reason why is . . . " Kagome looks around, 'there is no easy way to say this, so . . . ' she thinks.  
  
"The guards will not allow you carry your swords onto the airplane." She says in rush.  
  
Sesshomaru growls at her. "Why, then, have we wasted a night?"  
  
Kagome grimaces, and looks at the ground. "There are three ways to get around that problem, Sesshomaru, lord of the western lands."  
  
His eyebrows rise at that title, "And, what are they?" he asks.  
  
Kagome licks her lips, still looking at the ground. "Well, I'm sure that you'll hate one, but, I'm going to mention it, just to be complete, Ok?" She glances at him, but looks at the ground, instantly. "We can buy a large crate, pack the weapons and backpack in it, and have it transported to my mother's house."  
  
"Humans would be responsible to handling my swords?" Sesshomaru asks in a low voice.  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
"Never."  
  
She swallows, "I thought so. Here is the second way, We can get a smaller, ah, crate, and pack the weapons inside it. That crate would be loaded on the plane with us." She shows him a couple of papers, "That's what these are for. These documents claim that the swords are old family heirlooms that we've returning home with."  
  
She glances at him. No response.  
  
"The bad part about this, Sesshomaru, is that humans would be placing the crate on the airplane, and we would not know exactly where they are."  
  
"No."  
  
"There is no way that'll you will let humans hold your swords?"  
  
"You are correct."  
  
Kagome sighs, "Than that leaves one last way. The swords and the backpack will be in your possession all the time."  
  
"Since you did not mention this first, I assume that there is a problem with this plan?"  
  
Kagome licks her lips. "Yes." She whispers.  
  
"Well?"  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Miko Higurashi Kagome."  
  
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru. "Can you alter the size of your true form?"  
  
A pause. Sesshomaru's eyes narrow. "I am to pretend to be a dog." He says in an emotionless voice.  
  
Kagome pales, but nods. "You've told me that your swords, clothes, and weapons vanish somewhere when you're in your true form. That will allow you to get past all the security, and still have your weapons on."  
  
"Those extra papers. You mentioned quarantine. Rabies shots." He continues to speak in that emotionless voice.  
  
Kagome nods, "Yes, to bring a, ah, a" she licks her lips, "A pet dog into japan, you need a couple of veterinarian reports."  
  
"A pet dog." Sesshomaru glares at Kagome.  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
'There is no way that I will allow random humans to handle my weapons.' Sesshomaru thinks, 'While we were waiting at that man's house, Kagome found some maps and showed me the route that she was talking about. That route will take days, over a week probably to get to japan. This airplane will get us there within a day.'  
  
Sesshomaru's glare intensifies. Kagome looks down at the ground. "I am sorry, Sesshomaru." She whispers. "I wasn't thinking."  
  
"I can reduce my size." Sesshomaru states.  
  
Kagome looks at him. Tears are beginning to form in her eyes. "Sesshomaru?"  
  
"There is only one choice, Kagome. How small do I have to be?"  
  
Kagome reaches out and hugs Sesshomaru. "Thank you." She whispers into his hair. "This way is so much easier."  
  
"Afraid that I'll make a mistake?" He whispers back as he hugs her.  
  
A pause, then Kagome nods.  
  
"A possibility. How will this work?"  
  
Kagome looks around. She looks up at the sun. "We'll have to find a pet shop, and probably wait until it opens. But, I'm hungry, so that'll take some time. Then, we'll buy a dog kennel, which is approved for air travel, and a few other things."  
  
She pauses. 'No. Don't smile.' Kagome thinks. 'Don't smile. And, when you get to the pet shop, don't go overboard.'  
  
"Then, we'll travel to the airport." She looks at him. His expression is still emotionless. 'I'm sure he is hating this. This has to be very embarrassing for him, so, don't make a big deal out of it.' She thinks.  
  
"We'll have to show up there in a cab, and you'll have to be in your shrunken true form. I'll probably be able to walk you around, but, I'm sure that you're going to spend a lot of time inside a small kennel."  
  
Sesshomaru growls, deep inside his chest. "By walking around, you mean something similar to that man that had a dog on a leash, earlier?"  
  
Kagome nods. She can hear his teeth grinding.  
  
"Continue." His emotionless voice states.  
  
She sighs, "I'm going to have to place you inside the kennel. Then, the humans will place you onboard the plane. This will take a long time, Sesshomaru. Hours."  
  
She can see his jaw throb. Kagome swallows. "I promise, Sesshomaru, as soon as the plane is in the air, I'll convince the stewardess to let me into the cargo section of the plane. And I'll stay with you as long as I can. But."  
  
"This will not be pleasant." Sesshomaru states.  
  
Kagome nods, looking at the ground.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome whispers.  
  
Sesshomaru sighs, and stands up, "Let us begin, Kagome." He reaches down and picks her up.  
  
Kagome smiles at him. "Thank you, my consort." She kisses him.  
  
She grabs his hand and leads him out of the park. She does have him hide the swords in the backpack before they start to walk out in the open. He is wearing his sunglasses, so, while his facial tattoos are noticed, there isn't anything obvious to attract attention.  
  
She begins to ask people various questions about where a pet shop is . . .  
  
Later . . .  
  
In a pet shop.  
  
Sesshomaru is doing a masterful job of ignoring everything around him. 'So many pets and things for them. Hmmm. If what I'm hearing is correct, this Sesshomaru believes that many of the pets in this city are treated better than many of the peasants in the fields.' He thinks.  
  
Kagome is purchasing everything that is needed to transport a pet through customs. While looking at the selection of collars, 'No. Don't go overboard.' She thinks. 'Just get what's necessary to get through customs, don't get anything else.'  
  
Her story (she is practicing it with the store clerks, knowing that she'll have to repeat it many times during the day, and she wants to make sure that the story makes sense): Her father has just died in japan, so she has to return home quickly. Since there are some inheritance problems, she might be delayed in Japan for a month or more, so she is taking her pet dog with her.  
  
"Your friend doesn't like pet shops?" the attractive female clerk whispers to Kagome as she checks out. "He hasn't really said anything."  
  
"He volunteered to watch my pet, but I declined." Kagome whispers back.  
  
They leave the shop. Kagome is carrying the large kennel that she chose. "Sesshomaru, let's go into that alley, so we can test this out. If I need to get something else, I want to know it, before we do anything else."  
  
Sesshomaru grunts, but follows her into the nearby alley.  
  
Kagome looks both ways, 'everyone I see is busy doing other things, so,'  
  
"Sesshomaru, lord of the Western lands, please, if you could, change into your true form, but, if you would, please make it small enough to fit into this kennel." She bows deeply to him as she places her hand on the kennel.  
  
Sesshomaru, his face expressionless, looks around. He nods, sharply.  
  
He changes into a large, say, An a German shepard-sized dog.  
  
Kagome bows to him, "thank you, lord of the western lands." She opens the kennel. "If you could, please enter, so we can see if this will work."  
  
Sesshomaru looks at Kagome. He looks at the kennel.  
  
Kagome can hear his low, deep growl, but he enters the kennel. She sighs, deeply. "Thank you."  
  
'This is harder than I thought it would be.' Sesshomaru thinks as he explores the inside of the kennel. 'So small. So limiting. And the smell, what is this made out of? Do I say, no?' he shakes his head, no. 'We need to get to her home a quickly as possible, and, I trust her.'  
  
He leaves the kennel, and after scanning the area, changes back into his human-form. "Acceptable." He states.  
  
She bows to him, "Thank you." She pulls out the bag of other pet supplies. "If you could, change back, I need to fit this collar on you and try out a couple of things."  
  
Sesshomaru looks at her. His lips thin form stress, but he changes.  
  
A few minutes later.  
  
Sesshomaru is wearing a plain leather collar. 'Sigh,' Kagome thinks, 'This is better, than, that fancier one.' Kagome has also added an air-freshener and some scrap paper and pillow to the kennel.  
  
She looks at him, "well, Lord of the western lands, will this do?"  
  
Sesshomaru changes back into his human-form. "It will do."  
  
Kagome smiles and hugs him. "Thank you, Sesshomaru."  
  
He hugs her back, "we are wasting time, Kagome."  
  
Kagome breaks the hug, and nods to him. "Ok. I think we're ready. I'll call a cab and will wait for it here, and then take it to the airport. Sesshomaru, it will take a long time. The cab trip. I'll have to buy a plane ticket, and I'm probably have to yell and scream to get a place for you. And then, we'll have to wait on the plane and security and then the flight." She says in a rush.  
  
"Kagome." He growls.  
  
She blushes, "I just wanted to be sure that you knew what was going to happen, Sesshomaru."  
  
"The sooner this is done. The sooner it," He emphasizes the word, "will," then continues, "Be forgotten."  
  
Kagome nods. "Of course."  
  
Later . . .  
  
"That mutt had better not mess up my cab, lady." The fat, greasy cab driver says as he puts the kennel in the trunk of the cab.  
  
"He won't, sir." Kagome replies as she and Sesshomaru, in dog shape, enter the back seat of the cab.  
  
"JFK, hmm?" the cab driver mutters as he starts to drive. He uses the rearview mirror to look at Kagome, but, he's seen enough people treat their dogs as people, that he ignores the one-way conversation she's having with her pet.  
  
'Since I'm not going to get him to do this again,' She thinks, 'I'd better take advantage of it.'  
  
She whispers to Sesshomaru, "here, lay down on my lap, Sesshomaru." She pats on her lap. "As we travel, I'll point out the sites."  
  
Sesshomaru, after a small growl, lays down on her lap. She instantly begins to pet Sesshomaru. Her hands softly caress and run through his silky white hair.  
  
Kagome begins, while one hand pets Sesshomaru, to use the other to point out the buildings etc. on their way to the airport. She's obviously enjoying herself.  
  
Sesshomaru, though, isn't. 'Small, confining. I dislike this place. The smells of this place are horrible. I want to get back to my forest, or any forest, anything to get the stench of this city and the humans of it out of my nostrils.'  
  
He glances at Kagome. 'Perhaps that is the reason that she likes the forest so much?' he thinks, 'I know that if I lived in this city, I'd been retreating into a forest as often as I can.'  
  
'I'll have to ask her, one of these days.' He thinks.  
  
'His hair, I'll never get used to its silky smoothness' Kagome thinks as she pets him.  
  
'Her caressing . . . ' Sesshomaru thinks, 'I will not react to it. But . . . it feels soo nice.'  
  
Later, at the airport . . .  
  
"Miss Sango Takahashi." The good-looking male sales clerk says, "Thank you for wanting to buy a ticket to japan." He looks at the kennel at her side. "But, this airline has rules for the transport of pets, especially large dogs, like yours, which state that we need a day's notice to prepare the plane, properly."  
  
Kagome pulls a huge wad of cash. "Could you get your manager, please?" She smiles, "I am having a family emergency back home in Japan, and I'd like to see if something can be done, please. I'd hate to try a different airline."  
  
The clerk looks at Kagome, looks at the cash, "You'll be paying in cash?" Kagome nods, "Yes. One-way to japan, as soon as possible, please?"  
  
The clerk licks his lips, "could you wait over her, miss." He points to one side. "I'll page my manager. You and he can talk and see what can be arranged."  
  
Kagome smiles, nods and moves to the side.  
  
The manager arrives in a few minutes. Kagome and the manager go into his office and talk.  
  
The manager, after a few minutes, leaves his office and goes to the clerk. He hands him a stack of bills. "Miss Sango Takahashi will be purchasing a one-way ticket to japan. It will include the costs for transporting her pet dog, Sesshomaru." He tells the clerk.  
  
The clerk looks at the stack of bills, "Which flight, sir. Tomorrow morning?"  
  
"No. I've talked to the ground crew of the flight that leaves in four hours. There is a dog already on it, so adding a second isn't a major problem."  
  
The clerk nods. "Ok. Sir. Your call."  
  
Inside the office.  
  
Kagome, who is sitting on one of the chairs in the room, rubs her forehead. "How long have I been up? All of last night, then the day before on the world with Belldandy. I'm tired." She whispers. She blinks, 'I've got to stay awake.'  
  
Sesshomaru, who is in the kennel, looks at her.  
  
The manager reenters his office and hands Kagome her ticket and the paperwork necessary for Sesshomaru. "If you could fill this out, I'll begin to prepare things." He says.  
  
Kagome nods. "Thank you, sir. Where will I stay until the plane boards?"  
  
The manager says, "given the special circumstances, it'll probably be best if you stay here. Just in case something comes up."  
  
Kagome nods. "Thank you, sir."  
  
Kagome thinks, 'Good. I didn't have to use that JEDI mind trick too much on him. But, if I have to use it, I want to be in a private place, like this. Sometimes the effects of the mind trick are noticeable.'  
  
After a couple of minutes, the phone rings the manager, after a short conversation leaves.  
  
In a different room, a short time later . . .  
  
A couple of FBI agents are talking to the manager. "She just walks up, pays in cash, and wants the first plane to japan, right?" one of them ask.  
  
The manager nods. "And she's carrying more cash inside her carry on bag."  
  
"And that's another thing, her only luggage is a carry on bag and dog kennel?" the other asks.  
  
The manager nods.  
  
The two FBI agents look at each other and nod. "We need to talk to her, somewhere private."  
  
"She's in my office. I thought someone might want to talk her."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
A few minutes later . . .  
  
The manager opens his office, "Miss Sango Takahashi these two . . . " His voice trails off.  
  
Kagome has fallen asleep in her chair.  
  
The two FBI agents look at each other. "Either she's a real pro, or she's really tired." One of them whispers to the other.  
  
The manager gently wakes up Kagome.  
  
"Oh! Sorry." Kagome blinks. "It's been a tiring couple of days."  
  
One of the agents clears his throat. "Miss, we do have a few questions we'd like you to answer, if you could."  
  
Kagome looks at the two men. 'Probably customs officials, or maybe FBI types.' She thinks. 'Now we'll see if my skills are good enough.'  
  
"Could I have some privacy with these two?" she asks the manager. He looks at the FBI men. They nod. He leaves the room.  
  
Kagome concentrates on the JEDI mind trick. 'I'll reinforce my story with it. That should work.'  
  
Kagome smiles at the two men and begins her tale.  
  
Fifteen minutes later the FBI agents leave the room. "It's Ok." One of them says to the manager.  
  
"She's cleared."  
  
Later . . .  
  
As Sesshomaru is being loaded on the airplane.  
  
He sniffs and gags. 'I will remember the smell of these humans.'  
  
He growls as the kennel is shoved in place.  
  
The loader kicks the kennel. "Shut-up mutt."  
  
'I will kill that human.' Sesshomaru glares at him. 'I will remember his scent and sooner or later . . . '  
  
"I don't think you made a friend there, Bob." One of the other loaders mentions.  
  
"Who cares? It's only a mutt."  
  
Later . . .  
  
Kagome is sitting on a window seat in first class. She takes out the cell phone and flips it open. It rings.  
  
"Higurashi residence." Her mother says.  
  
"Hi! Mother!"  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
"Mother. I'm on a plane. We'll be taking off in an hour. Your plan worked."  
  
"Thank the gods." Her mother sighs. "When will you be landing? I can be there."  
  
"Mother. I'd rather you stay with Shippo and Rin, Mother. Sesshomaru and I can get home from the airport without any problems."  
  
"Ok, if that's what you want."  
  
"How are they?"  
  
"Shippo woke up for a few minutes, then fell asleep."  
  
"He'll be hungry, Mother."  
  
"I thought so. I've got some soup on the stove, Kagome. As soon as he's ready to eat, I'll be ready."  
  
"Thank you." A pause. "Rin?"  
  
"No change."  
  
Kagome grimaces. "As long as she stays alive until I get there, I can fix her."  
  
"You're healing spell isn't that good, Kagome."  
  
"It is now."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"I see." Kagome mothers' hisses. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"When I get home, please?"  
  
"Ok." A pause. "Chika just opened the door, Kagome."  
  
"Ok. I'll talk to you later."  
  
Kagome hangs up.  
  
'The pilot just said that we'll take off in an hour.' She thinks as she looks out the window.  
  
'Too much time.' She thinks. 'With nothing to do, but think.'  
  
She looks down at her hand. She makes a fist and squeezes it. 'What will I say to my mother about Sesshomaru? In all the plans that Sesshomaru and I made, we never talked about that.'  
  
She takes a deep breath and sighs. 'And what will I say to Inu-yasha? Every time I try to think about that conversation . . . I can't. I just can't see Inu-yasha stopping and talking. He'll try to kill Sesshomaru and I can stop him with the necklace. And then . . . nothing. I can't think of anything to say next . . . '  
  
In the cargo compartment.  
  
Sesshomaru lays down and puts his head on his paws. 'What do I say to her mother? And why am I just now thinking about that? Did I believe that we'd never return home?'  
  
He growls. 'And exactly what do I say to Inu-yasha? He'll never stop attacking and listen to me. I must think of something . . . '  
  
The end chapter 3  
  
Authors' note: chapter 4 will see them home. And Sesshomaru will meet Kagome's mother . . . which will be interesting, no?  
  
Thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	5. Sesshomaru meets Kagome's mother

Kagome return's chapter 4  
  
Sesshomaru meets Kagome's mother . . .  
  
'The pilot just said that we'll take off in an hour.' She thinks as she looks out the window.  
  
'Too much time.' She thinks. 'With nothing to do, but think.'  
  
She looks down at her hand. She makes a fist and squeezes it. 'What will I say to my mother about Sesshomaru? In all the plans that Sesshomaru and I made, we never talked about that.'  
  
She takes a deep breath and sighs. 'And what will I say to Inu-yasha? Every time I try to think about that conversation . . . I can't. I just can't see Inu-yasha stopping and talking. He'll try to kill Sesshomaru and I can stop him with the necklace. And then . . . nothing. I can't think of anything to say next . . . '  
  
In the cargo compartment.  
  
Sesshomaru lays down and puts his head on his paws. 'What do I say to her mother? And why am I just now thinking about that? Did I believe that we'd never return home?'  
  
He growls. 'And exactly what do I say to Inu-yasha? He'll never stop attacking and listen to me. I must think of something . . . '  
  
Sesshomaru glances over at the other dog in the baggage compartment. 'I can still smell the bitch that he mated with before he was placed on this plane.' He growls, lowly, 'I will not allow myself to be affected by that smell.'  
  
The other dog, a large pit bull, barks at Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru glances at him and growls.  
  
The pit bull puts his tail between his legs and whines, his belly scraping the bottom of his kennel.  
  
Sesshomaru looks away. 'He will not bother me, again.'  
  
Later . . .  
  
Kagome enters the baggage compartment. "Thank you, ma'am," she bows to the stewardess behind her.  
  
"Thank you," the woman says as she closes the door.  
  
Kagome walks over to the kennel. She glances at the lock on the kennel. She frowns, "They added a lock on the kennel, Sesshomaru. I'm not going to be able to let you out."  
  
Sesshomaru places his paws on the screen on the kennel. His claws begin to dig in. "Sesshomaru! Please! If you destroy the kennel, that'll cause problems. And cause more delays." She begs as he starts to rip off apart the kennel.  
  
Sesshomaru releases the screen. "Hate delay." He says in his rough gravelly voice.  
  
Kagome nods. She sits down next to the kennel and, after some wiggling she manages to get her hand into the kennel. Sesshomaru moves, so he can sit next to her hand. She rubs him. He purrs.  
  
Time passes . . .  
  
Kagome whispers, "What do I say to my mother?" She continues in a very fast voice. "She's liked, if not loved Inu-yasha, especially his ears, from first glance, and I'm sure that she always thought that he and I would . . . " her voice trails off.  
  
Sesshomaru looks at her. He can smell her suppressed tears, and he can sense her tension. 'What do I say?' he thinks. 'Any lie would be found out . . . and her mother would dislike that, I'm sure. So. If we're not going to lie, then you have to tell the truth.'  
  
"Truth." He growls out.  
  
Kagome swallows. "I always thought that we'd meet Inu-yasha first, and have." She grimaces, "and have our relationship issues resolved before meeting my mother."  
  
She sighs, "now. We'll meet her, before Inu-yasha."  
  
"Lie no good." Sesshomaru growls out.  
  
Kagome grimaces and nods. "I know. I've always hated lying, especially to my mother. Even before I broke down and told her everything about Inu-yasha and the search for the jewel, I just leave things out. So, I don't actually lie to her."  
  
Sesshomaru looks at her. "Your mother. Your decision."  
  
Kagome looks at him. "My mother . . . how will she react?" she whispers. "If we try to evade the truth about us." She pauses, and snarls at herself. "No. Nothing good will happen."  
  
"Consort?" He growls out. Kagome nods. "We can't lie. We can't evade the truth about us. So, that leaves, telling my mother." She grimaces, "of course, we can approach that in stages. I can tell her about the times that you've saved my life. You can tell her about your paintings." She nods. "And then, slowly tell her what happened step-by-step."  
  
"Good plan. Direct. Simple."  
  
Kagome nods. "Yes. Let's try it, ok?"  
  
Sesshomaru nods.  
  
Kagome smiles, "Since you can't leave the kennel. I won't leave you. I'll just stay here." Her hand continues to rub Sesshomaru. She leans against the kennel, resting.  
  
Sesshomaru purrs as she caresses him. Her hand slows and it finally stops. He looks at her. Kagome has fallen asleep as she leans against the kennel. 'I thought so. It's been a long time since she's slept, and she's been using her powers a lot.' He thinks. 'I'll stay awake and protect her.'  
  
Elsewhere . . .  
  
In the main FBI office at JFK. A man, an older somewhat heavyset man, turns off a mini-cassette player and glares at the two men in the room with him.  
  
"What were you two thinking?" He growls out.  
  
The two FBI agents that talked with Kagome, (the tape recorder was concealed on one of them) look at each other and then concentrate looking at the carpet. The one that they are being dragged on and through . . .  
  
"That was supposed to be an interview. Instead, you two agreed to everything she said. She led you two around by the nose. I've never heard of such a sorry excuse for an interview. What was she doing?"  
  
"Sir." One of the agents says. He clears his throat. "No excuse, sir."  
  
The head FBI agent looks at the other agent.  
  
"Sir." The other one begins, "you weren't there. She." He pauses, trying to come up with the words. "There was something about her. Charisma, something, I just felt like I could trust her . . . "  
  
"That is unacceptable." The head FBI agent growls. "Next, you'll be telling me that she was using that JEDI mind trick from the Star Wars movies on you. It certainly sounded like it."  
  
Both agents look at the carpet, memorizing the patterns. The head FBI agent sighs. "I want to know everything about her. I want all the surveillance cameras checked. I want pictures. She filled out those customs forms. I want fingerprints. I want DNA."  
  
"Yes, sir." They chorus.  
  
"And I want it yesterday." Their boss growls. "Get out. The next time I see you two, you had better be able to tell me everything that I want to know about her."  
  
The head FBI agent picks up the phone. "Get me Tokyo international airport. I need to talk to their head of security. There is a woman on plane to Tokyo that I want detained and questioned."  
  
'For real, this time.' He thinks to himself.  
  
"Yes, sir." His secretary replies.  
  
Later, back on the airplane  
  
'My ears are hearing people beginning to look for Kagome.' Sesshomaru thinks. 'Whither or not she's rested enough, is not a luxury any more.'  
  
Sesshomaru bends down and nips Kagome's fingers, waking her up.  
  
"What!" Kagome says as she pulls back her hand. She looks around in surprise. She slumps, "It wasn't a dream." She whispers.  
  
"Dream?" Sesshomaru growls.  
  
Kagome flashes a smile, "I was afraid that this was a dream and we were still bouncing between worlds." She grimaces, "lost in space and time." She frowns. 'That reminds of something, I can't thank of what though.' She thinks.  
  
"People looking." Sesshomaru growls as he points his head to the baggage compartment entrance. Kagome, looks at her watch, (she picked it up at the airport, earlier), "I've been asleep most of the flight, Sesshomaru. They must be getting ready to land. I've got to go." She says in a rush.  
  
Sesshomaru growls, but nods.  
  
Kagome gets up and starts to walk out, but, she stops and turns around. She says to Sesshomaru, "Sesshomaru, lord of the western lands, I'm sure that it will take time to go through all of the customs checks. And, I'll probably have another conversation with more customs agents, so, please be patient and don't break out of the kennel. Please."  
  
Sesshomaru nods, but doesn't say anything.  
  
Kagome sighs, turns and opens the baggage compartment door.  
  
Later, after landing...  
  
Kagome is deplaning. A couple of men, in dark suits, one Japanese, and one American, approach her. "Miss Sango Takahashi?" the American asks.  
  
Kagome nods. She looks at the Japanese man. He sighs. "Miss Takahashi Sango, if you could please follow us." He says, "Due to the nature of the purchase of your ticket, there are a few questions that we are required to ask of you."  
  
Kagome sighs and nods. "Thank you, sir." She flashes a smile, "I'll be happy to explain."  
  
In the baggage compartment.  
  
The kennel with Sesshomaru in it is thrown onto a truck for transport. He bounces off the side of the kennel. He sniffs. 'I will remember, you human.' He glares at the human.  
  
"Stupid mutt." The man slaps the side of the kennel.  
  
Sesshomaru is brought to an area that is set aside for guaranteeing animals. Once he enters the large room, all of the various pets and animals in the room, quiets down.  
  
Sesshomaru releases a low growl. He looks around. 'Hmm. A lot of animals, more than I thought. Several humans, too,' He looks at them, 'Hmm, they actually are treating the animals with respect. Good.' He scans the large room again, 'The walls don't seem strong, and there are windows set in the ceiling, so, in case I need to leave. It will be easy.'  
  
Later . . .  
  
Kagome closes a door behind her. 'That was difficult. Unlike the first two, they were really suspicious of me. I had to use my powers on them a lot more than the others.' She grimaces, 'and, I think that whoever ordered them to ask me questions is not going to be happy with them. I'd better get Sesshomaru and leave, now, before they bring in a new team.'  
  
She glances at the paperwork in her hand. 'At least they stamped it, ok. So, there shouldn't be any problems. I hope.'  
  
Inside the room. It is a comfortable room, with several chairs, a small table, even a TV.  
  
The two agents are on their cell phones to their bosses. They are playing the recording of Kagome's 'interview' to them.  
  
"Who is this woman?" comes from the cell phone of the American agent. (It is on a speaker phone attachment.) The voice is the same as the head of JFK airports. "That's almost identical to what I heard over here." He growls.  
  
"Sorry, sir." The American agent says, "It was just so hard to disagree with her."  
  
The Japanese agent on the phone (also on a speaker phone attachment) to his boss says, "the same here, sir. While she was talking, it just seemed right and proper to follow her suggestions."  
  
"I want her detained." The FBI head from JFK demands over the speaker phone.  
  
"You can't order that." The boss of the Japanese agent replies, over his speaker phone, "But, she is something odd and unusual and I want her brought in and questioned. This time, however, instead of a personal interview, I want the questions to be asked by an agent via a phone. In the interests of the common good, I will allow an American agent to listen, and he can suggest questions. However she is a Japanese citizen, and without something more definite than 'she's really persuasive,' I am not going to do much more."  
  
A pause. "Good enough." The FBI head replies.  
  
In the quarantine area of the airport.  
  
"Miss." The female quarantine clerk is talking to Kagome. "It is highly recommended that when transporting pets, that you give us at least a week's warning to prepare. Your pet is a special request, and arrived without some of the proper paperwork. As such, I am sorry, but there will be some delay."  
  
Kagome hunches her shoulders together. 'I just had a shiver run up my spine. I don't think I've got a lot of time.'  
  
"Miss" Kagome looks hard at the clerk, her eyes catch hers and hold them. "There is no harm in letting me visit pet."  
  
"There is no harm in letting you visit your pet." The clerk monotones.  
  
"You will lead me to my pet."  
  
"I will lead you to your pet."  
  
The clerk opens up a door behind her, and Kagome follows her into the quarantine area. The clerk lead her to Sessohmaru's kennel.  
  
"Thank you, miss." Kagome says. "It is ok for me to leave with my pet."  
  
"It is ok for you to leave with your pet." She monotones.  
  
Kagome bends down and picks up the kennel and places it on a wheeled platform, so she can roll him along.  
  
The manager of the quarantine area, looks up from his paperwork. "Hey! That animal isn't cleared!" He stands up from behind his desk and shouts.  
  
The security door to the quarantine area opens and about half-a-dozen uniformed Japanese security agents, and a couple of plains clothes ones, enters the room. "Miss Takahashi Sango!" one of them shouts. "Please come with us!" they begin to jog across and between the crates in the area toward her.  
  
Kagome looks around. 'I don't think that they will listen this time.' She looks up. The ceiling has several skylights in it.  
  
Sesshomaru growls as the men approach Kagome.  
  
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru. She bites her lips. 'If I go with them, I'm sure that it will take hours, at least, before I can talk me way out of it. Can I waste those hours, knowing that Rin and Shippo are hurt? Especially knowing that I'm so close to home. And since I know that inu-yasha, since he has never popped back on this side of the well, has to be trouble?'  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath and whispers, "Sesshomaru, if we stay, we'll be trapped here for hours. Change size and fly us out of here."  
  
Sesshomaru looks at the security agents. They are slowing and spreading out, surrounding Kagome. One of the plain clothes agent's says, "Miss, I am sorry, but, after reviewing your interview, it's been decided that more information is needed. If you could, please follow us."  
  
He frowns at Sesshomaru. "We'll see that your pet is well cared for."  
  
Sesshomaru growls. He grows, splinting the kennel. "Run. Humans." He orders in his most horrific voice. All the other animals in the quarantine area, which had been very silent out of respect/fear of Sesshomaru begin to bark, tweet, rush around in panic.  
  
Kagome slides onto Sesshomaru's back as he grows into the size of a horse. She yells, "Freeze." With the JEDI mind trick powers backing that order.  
  
Between the surprise of Sesshomaru's size change and Kagome's 'freeze' order, none of the security agents fire any weapon before Sesshomaru smashes through the skylight and out into the open.  
  
"Move fast, Sesshomaru." Kagome screams in her ear as she hugs his neck and squeezes his body with her legs. "Don't fly high, stay just above the buildings."  
  
Sesshomaru, flying right off the ground, quickly leaves the airport behind. Some people do see him, but . . . 'who's going to believe me when I mention a flying horse sized white dog?' they think and quickly go about their business.  
  
In the security offices...  
  
"Well. That explains that." The Japanese agent says as he looks over the security camera tape of the quarantine area.  
  
"Explains what?" comes from the speaker phone. It is the FBI agent in JFK. "What you've said makes no sense."  
  
"Yes, I know." The agent says. "But, you haven't been to Nerima, have you?"  
  
"Nerima?"  
  
"A year ago, we had a problem with a Chinese visitor. He turned into a flying minotaur with octopus tentacles coming out of his back." The agent replies. "I'll check with some friends, but I'm sure that she's connected to Nerima, somehow, someway."  
  
"So, when are you going to bring her in for questioning?" FBI agent demands.  
  
"Never." The Japanese agent replies, "Not unless your willing to lend us an armored division or two. Going into Nerima with anything less than that is a waste of time. The army will lose."  
  
The FBI agent hangs up.  
  
The Japanese agent sighs. 'And now, his report of this incident will force us to write up, yet another, report on Nerima. And, it'll be ignored just like all the others. Too fantastic to be believed.' He thinks.  
  
At JFK...  
  
'When I'm finished with this incident report, heads will roll.' The head FBI agent thinks as he begins to write. 'Whoever this Sango Takahashi is, she will be found, and she will be asked to explain what happened over the last twenty-four hours.'  
  
Back to Kagome and Sesshomaru, flying over Tokyo...  
  
Kagome is riding Sesshomaru, like a horse. Her legs are squeezing his chest. Her arms are around his neck, hugging him. She is whispering directions to her house, as he flies.  
  
'What to do?' Kagome thinks. 'Sooner or later, my fingerprints will be found. And, I know that they are in the police database. My mother had Sota and myself fingerprinted, in case something went wrong, years ago.'  
  
She shivers, 'Are those stories about agents like the 'men in black' real?' she thinks, 'My life and adventures are real, so why aren't they? Yes. I have to assume that. So, sooner or later, men will show up at home, and they'll want me to go with them.'  
  
She shivers again. 'And if Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha or Shippo is home? We'll all be taken into some secret testing place. Or they'll fight some battle in the middle of Tokyo. And then things will get even worse.'  
  
Kagome nods. 'I have to assume that my life, here on this side of the well, will be changed because of this. Before, my adventures were only local disturbances, and could be ignored, or explained away as aberrations. But, this won't be.'  
  
She sighs and hugs Sesshomaru's neck tighter. 'Another reason to live on the other side of the well.' She pauses, 'I wonder . . . whatever god is testing Sesshomaru and myself, getting me to live on that side of the well, seems to be one of his goals. Which makes it even more likely that my life on this side of the well will be changed, and not for the better.'  
  
She looks ahead. She smiles, as she spots the top of the God Tree. "Soon." She whispers. "Soon, I will have some answers."  
  
She points to her school as they fly near it. "That is my school, Sesshomaru." She glances at the sun. "And, since today is a school day, my friends will be in school. So, I won't have to talk to them, today." She sighs, "healing Shippo and Rin, talking to my mother, Sota and getting through the well will be hard enough, without them asking questions."  
  
Sesshomaru grunts. 'I can feel the power of the well growing. It seems to be much stronger on this side. Or, is that because,' he looks at the God tree. 'He is weaker on this side? Hmmm. Stop thinking about that. Start thinking about her mother. No. Don't think about her. Think about Rin.'  
  
Kagome points. "That is my house, Sesshomaru. Land beside it, please."  
  
Sesshomaru lands next to it. Kagome swings off him. He changes into his human shape.  
  
Kagome bows to him. "Thank you, Sesshomaru."  
  
He nods. He points to the well house. "The well is in that building, correct."  
  
Kagome nods. "As soon as I heal Shippo and Rin." She bites her lips, "And talk to my mother, we'll see about getting you through it."  
  
Sesshomaru nods.  
  
Kagome looks at her house. She looks at Sesshomaru. He is not moving toward it. She looks at his face and eyes. 'Frightened? No. but, he is very unsure of himself.' She thinks. 'Not that I'm in better shape. Talking to my mother about him . . . Short of talking to Inu-yasha, I can't think of anything else worse to do . . . ' Her thought's trail off.  
  
She reaches out and grabs his hand. "Walk with me." She whispers.  
  
They walk, hands together, up to the front door.  
  
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru, takes a deep breath, and whispers, "ready?"  
  
Sesshomaru looks at her and sighs. "Of course."  
  
He thinks, 'what other answer can I give?'  
  
Kagome opens the front door and yells, "Mother! Sota! Grandfather! I'm home!"  
  
Sota jumps up from the couch. He was watching TV, and runs to the door. "Kagome!"  
  
Kagome spreads her arms, bends down and hugs him, tight, then lets him go. "Sota! Where's mom?"  
  
"Kagome!" Mrs. H calls from the top of the stairs.  
  
Kagome looks up. She smiles. "Mother!"  
  
She runs to the stairs and up them. "Where are they?" she asks as she runs.  
  
"Shippo's in Sota's room. Rin is in your room." Kagome's mother says.  
  
Kagome, once she hits the top of the stairs, hugs her mother, quickly. "Rin, first. She is hurt the worse, right?" she asks.  
  
Mrs. H nods. Kagome runs down the hallway. Mrs. H looks down the stairs and at Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru is still standing in the doorway. He is dressed in his traditional clothes. A backpack is on his back. His two swords are at his waist.  
  
He is looking at Mrs. H.  
  
Their eyes catch. A pause . . .  
  
Sesshomaru, inclines his head, slightly, to her.  
  
Kagome's mother nods, a sharp crisp nod, then spins on her toes. She runs down the hallway to catch up with her daughter.  
  
"Who are you?" Sota asks, as he stands in front of Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru directs his attention to Sota. "This person is Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western lands, human. You are Sota, Kagome's younger brother."  
  
Sota replies, "yes." He frowns, "How did you know that? My smell. I smell like her."  
  
"No. She called you, Sota."  
  
"Sesshomaru? Inu-yasha's brother. The one that's tried to kill Kagome at least three times." Sota's eyes are wide as he backs away from Sesshomaru.  
  
"I've tried to kill her more times than that." Sesshomaru replies. "And I've killed her more times than that."  
  
"But . . . " Sota looks at the stairs. "But . . . she's alive."  
  
"Yes. And she will remain alive."  
  
Sota swallows hard. "Are you going to kill me?" blurts out of his mouth. He covers his mouth and backs away.  
  
Sesshomaru's eyebrow raise. "No. Killing you would upset your sister." He growls. His lips thin, the tips of his fangs show, "However, I will be treated with respect, boy."  
  
Sota nods, "yes. Yes. Sir."  
  
"Sesshomaru!" Rin yells from the top of the stairs. In an instant, somehow, she is hugging Sesshomaru's leg. "You're home."  
  
Sota's mouth drops. "How? She's been in a coma . . . "  
  
Sesshomaru places his hand on Rin's head. "Your sister is very powerful."  
  
"Rin happy!" Rin buries her face in Sesshomaru's robes.  
  
Sesshomaru looks around. "This Sesshomaru smells some flowers over there." He points.  
  
Sota, looking in that direction, "Yeah, Mom got some flowers. She thought that the smell of flowers might be good for Shippo."  
  
"Get them, human boy."  
  
Sota looks at Sesshomaru. He nods, runs, and brings the bouquet of flowers to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru hands them to Rin. "Here, Rin."  
  
Rin's face brightens. She grabs the flowers. "Pretty!" She starts to run around the house putting the flowers all over the place.  
  
"Sesshomaru!" Shippo hisses from the top of the stairs. He is in Kagome's arms.  
  
Kagome, and her mother are also at the top of the stairs. Kagome is a bit pale from healing both of them, but she's otherwise in fine shape.  
  
"Kitsune." Sesshomaru replies. He pauses, then, after a glance into Kagome's eyes, he says "Shippo."  
  
Shippo's eyes widen in surprise.  
  
Sota moves to the bottom of the stairs. As soon as his mother is at the bottom, he moves next to her.  
  
Sesshomaru's eyebrow raises as he watches' Kagome walk over to him.  
  
Rin, with a rose in her hair, finishes decorated in the room, and she goes over to Sesshomaru and hugs his leg, as she watches the room.  
  
Kagome clears her throat. "Between Inu-yasha's and." She pauses, "my stories, Sesshomaru, I'm afraid that your reputation has preceded you."  
  
He nods. He looks at Kagome's mother. He inclines his head, "Madam, you have the promise of Sesshomaru, lord of the western lands, that I will not harm your family."  
  
Mrs. H looks at Kagome. She nods. "He won't break that promise."  
  
Mrs. H's eyebrows rise. She bends down and says to Sota, "Go downstairs and get your grandfather. He needs to know what is happening." She is watching Sesshomaru and Kagome as she does this.  
  
She frowns as she notices Shippo sniffing Kagome, and then Sesshomaru. Shippo turns white.  
  
Sesshomaru looks at Shippo, and raises an eyebrow. "Kagome?" Shippo says in a strangled voice.  
  
Kagome, who had been trying to catch Rin's eye, to calm her down, looks at Shippo. She looks at Sesshomaru. She catches her breath, pales, and whispers, "Please, Shippo. I'll explain, but let me do it my way, please?"  
  
Shippo looks at Sesshomaru.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
Mrs. H is looking back forth from Sesshomaru to Shippo watching . . .  
  
Shippo wiggles out of Kagome's arms and jumps on the ground between her and Sesshomaru. "He hurt you. Took you by force, didn't he."  
  
Mrs. H gasp is audible in the room.  
  
"No. Shippo. He did not." Kagome's voice, though under a great deal of stress, is calm. She is looking at her mother.  
  
Kagome and her mother's eye catch each other and they stare into each other's eyes.  
  
"Please, Shippo, you're making this harder than it should be. I'll explain, but, please let me do it, my way." She begs.  
  
Shippo looks at Kagome. He can see and smell tears begin to from in her eyes. He bites his lips. He spins to look at Sesshomaru. His mouth opens. Then, he closes it with a snap, as Kagome's hand grips his shoulder.  
  
"Please, Shippo. I promise." She whispers.  
  
Shippo stares into Sesshomaru's eyes.  
  
Sesshomaru, after a flick to watch Kagome's mother, says, "Shippo. Kagome and this Sesshomaru have been on a long and dangerous journey. During which, I've made promises to her. Promises that I will keep."  
  
Shippo opens his mouth. Kagome squeezes his shoulder. "Please, Shippo. I would like to introduce you and Sesshomaru to my family. And, then, later, I'll explain. I promise."  
  
Shippo looks at Kagome. He can see a tear begin to fall down one of her cheeks.  
  
He can hear Sesshomaru barely concealed growl of pain. He looks up at Sesshomaru.  
  
Shippo growls. He jumps and hugs Kagome around the neck, hanging onto her. "I won't let him hurt you." He whispers into her ear. "He won't," Kagome whispers back, as she stands up. She gathers him in her arms, holding him tight.  
  
She takes a deep breath and turns to her mother.  
  
Mrs. H, still standing at the base of the stairs, stares at her daughter.  
  
Kagome opens her mouth to speak, but, the front door slams open as Sota and Kagome's grandfather enter the house.  
  
"Kagome!" her grandfather says in surprise.  
  
His eyes narrow. He whips out a spell scroll. "Demon begone!" he screams as he charges Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru stands there, all he does is move Rin around, so she isn't in front of him.  
  
Kagome's grandfather slaps his spell scroll on Sesshomaru's stomach.  
  
Shippo gasps. "He did it . . . And he is still alive . . . "  
  
Sesshomaru peals off the spell scroll. "Human, you don't have the mystic power of your granddaughter, or even your daughter. This is a waste of time, paper and energy." He hands the scroll back to Kagome's grandfather, who, his eyes wide in fright, back away from Sesshomaru and toward his daughter.  
  
"I warned you." Kagome allows a semi-smile on her face.  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "You did. I didn't quite believe you, but you did."  
  
"You warned him?" Shippo asks.  
  
"Yes, Shippo. I told him that my grandfather would probably do that." Kagome's mouth twitches again.  
  
"He took it better than I expected." She whispers to Shippo. "He didn't even insult him."  
  
Mrs. H clears her throat, loudly.  
  
Kagome looks at her mother. She takes a deep breath and begins to speak, "Grandfather Higurashi, my mother Higurashi Kimiko, and my brother Sota," She waves to Sesshomaru. "May I present, Sesshomaru, lord of the Western lands and his ward Rin?"  
  
Sesshomaru inclines his head to Kagome's family. Rin peaks around him and quickly bows to them.  
  
Sota and his grandfather glance at Kagome's mother. She slowly inclines her head toward Sesshomaru. Sota and his grandfather quickly give small bows to Sesshomaru and Rin.  
  
Kagome moves Shippo around, so she can see his face. Kagome takes another deep breath. "And, in my arms, may I present Shippo." She stares into Shippo's eyes, as she finishes, "my son."  
  
Silence . . .  
  
"You mean that?" Shippo whispers into the silence.  
  
Kagome eyes fill with tears. She hugs Shippo close, her cheek rubs against his, as she whispers, also into the silence. "Yes."  
  
"The well." Shippo whispers.  
  
"Even if it separates us, I will find a way to get us together." Kagome replies, her voice strengthening as she speaks, "I promise you. I will not leave you."  
  
Silence.  
  
Mrs. H clears her throat. "So. Kagome." She pauses, "the journey you just finished." She pauses again as she searches for words.  
  
Kagome looks at her mother. "Mother." She glances at her Grandfather and Sota. Then at Sesshomaru and Rin. And finally at Shippo. "Everyone. I."  
  
She glances at Sesshomaru. "We." Sesshomaru inclines his head. "Will have announcements to make. But." She looks at her mother. "I'd like to do it in my way, at the time of my choosing."  
  
Kagome's mother slowly nods. "That's fine, Kagome. I'm not going to force you to say everything right now." Her mouth twitches, "so, what do you wish to do now?"  
  
Kagome smiles, "Mother. Thank you." She puts Shippo down. "What I'd like to do, now?" Her eyes tear up. "I'd like to get a hug from my mother."  
  
Mrs. H smiles widely.  
  
She and Kagome walk toward each other and hug. Sota and his grandfather also move and hug Kagome. They begin to talk between themselves. Kagome's family starts to catch her up on what has happened on this side of the well.  
  
Shippo moves next to Sesshomaru. In a whisper, so low that only Sesshomaru can hear him, he whispers, "I hate you. Whatever happened, you've hurt her."  
  
Sesshomaru replies, also in a whisper that only Shippo can hear, "And, Kitsune son of Kagome, your mother wants your help and support, not a temper tantrum of a spoiled son."  
  
Shippo growls, loud enough that Rin notices, but, no one else.  
  
Sesshomaru continues, "I would say more, but she's made it plain that she wishes to explain what happened." His lips curl into a semi-smile, "And you should be thanking me, Shippo, I helped to convince Kagome that she needs to formally adopt you."  
  
"Why?" Shippo whispers.  
  
"Because . . . " Sesshomaru begins. "That would make her happy. And that is important."  
  
Shippo releases a low whistle . . .  
  
"Shippo! Rin!" Kagome calls to them. "Come over here, I want you two to get to know my brother, Sota." She smiles, "I'm sure that you three will become great friends."  
  
Shippo and Rin look at each other. They walk to Kagome and Sota. Kagome, Sota, Shippo and Rin, begin to talk. Kagome leads them up to Sota's room, so they can play and get to know each other up there.  
  
Mrs. H walks over to Sesshomaru. Kagome's grandfather stands alone, watching the stairs and then watching Sesshomaru.  
  
Mrs. H clears her throat.  
  
Sesshomaru nods to her.  
  
"How shall I address you?" Mrs. H asks.  
  
A pause. "Sesshomaru is acceptable. You don't have to use my full title."  
  
Mrs. H nods. Her eyes flick to the stairs. "My daughter will be up there for a while, I believe. She, I'm sure, wants them to be distracted so the children won't interrupt her explanation."  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "That is reasonable."  
  
A pause, as they both stare at the stairs, as they stand side by side.  
  
The pause lengthens . . . and the tension between them increases . . .  
  
"Aren't you going to ask me questions?" Sesshomaru asks, as the tension finally gets to him.  
  
"No. I trust my daughter." Mrs. H replies. She glances at Sesshomaru.  
  
He looks at her. He nods. "Your daughter holds my trust as well."  
  
Kagome's mother nods, sharply.  
  
They return to staring at the stairs, waiting for Kagome to appear.  
  
After a few minutes . . .  
  
Kagome appears at the top of the stairs. The noise of a TV follows her from Sota's room.  
  
Kagome shakes her head as she walks down the stairs. "Mother? How much chocolate do we have?"  
  
Mrs. H smiles, "a far amount. I'll make a tray and give it to them."  
  
A few minutes later . . .  
  
Kagome's grandfather and Kagome's mother are seated on a couch in the living.  
  
Sesshomaru is standing off to one side, in full view of Kagome's mother and grandfather.  
  
Kagome is standing between them.  
  
She begins to pace.  
  
"Kagome?" her mother asks.  
  
Kagome sighs, "ok. Here it goes, Mother."  
  
She begins her tale . . .  
  
The end chapter 4.  
  
Authors' note: I did take some liberties with the FBI & Japanese airport sequences, so they are not totally correct. (Trying to get rationalizing Ranma and it's oddness, and caused problems. The character mentioned is Pantyhose Taro, BTW.) So, readers, please accept that on this world, things might be different from in the real world.  
  
Thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	6. explanations

Kagome return chapter 5  
  
explanations...   
  
A few minutes later . . .  
  
Kagome's grandfather and Kagome's mother are seated on a couch in the living.  
  
Sesshomaru is standing off to one side, in full view of Kagome's mother and grandfather.  
  
Kagome is standing between them.  
  
She begins to pace.  
  
"Kagome?" her mother asks.  
  
Kagome sighs, "ok. Here it goes, Mother."  
  
She begins to open her mouth, then pauses.  
  
"Mother? Did Inu-yasha tell you anything? You didn't seem all that surprised that Sesshomaru is with me?"  
  
Mrs. H nods. "Yes, last week or so, he finally broke down and told me that you and Sesshomaru." She nods to him, "vanished and he was looking for you."  
  
She smiles, faintly, "Keade had even given him a spell for me to try. It was supposed to pull you back to me." She sighs, "It didn't work, however."  
  
"Oh." Kagome says, "Thank you, mother. Did he tell you what he tried?"  
  
She thinks, 'if he gave my mother a spell, then what about Kikyo?'  
  
"Not really, Kagome." Mrs. H laughs softly, "I got the impression that whatever he tried, it failed pretty spectacularly and he didn't want to talk about it."  
  
"OK." Kagome nods. 'I'll ask Shippo later.' She thinks. She frowns. She looks up at the top of the stairs. She glances at Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru nods, faintly. 'She finally noticed that Shippo, Rin and Sota are using that loud noise making machine to cover the fact that they are hiding at the top of the stairs.' He thinks. 'Shippo is whispering the conversation to Rin and Sota.'  
  
"Dear?" Kagome's mother asks. Kagome sighs. "Telling you is harder than I thought it would be, mother."  
  
Mrs. H sighs, "I thought so." She glances at her father and at Sesshomaru. "Would it be easier if we were alone?"  
  
Kagome nods. "Maybe, mom. But, telling you, everything will be hard, no matter what."  
  
Mrs. H nods. Her eyes narrow. "Then you and I will go for a walk." She stands up. "Father, keep everyone in the house, until Kagome and I return." She says to her father.  
  
"Why us?" Kagome begins to say, then she nods. "Ah, I see." She glances at Sesshomaru.  
  
He raises an eyebrow. He nods, understanding that he will stay behind. "All of the noise in this world makes it harder to hear you, should you need help."  
  
Kagome opens her mouth, 'Normally, I don't need protection on this side of the well. But, after what happened at the airport, can I take the chance, now?'  
  
"Sesshomaru, could you give me that hollow metal rod I gave you to hold?" Kagome asks.  
  
Sesshomaru pulls out a necklace, with a small metal rod hanging from it. He passes it to her.  
  
"You gave that to him?" Mrs. H says in surprise.  
  
"Yes. How else could I prove to him that I trusted him?" Kagome replies.  
  
"What is it?" Sesshomaru asks, "I've controlled my curiosity about it, ever since you asked me to hold it."  
  
Kagome's eyebrow raises, "oh, right now, it is a way to signal you, from far away. So, in case something should happen, you'll hear it."  
  
"A whistle of some type?" he asks.  
  
"Of a type." Kagome raises it to her lips and gives the dog whistle a small blow.  
  
"Arrggh!" Shippo yells from the top of the stairs.  
  
Sesshomaru takes a deep breath, but otherwise doesn't react.  
  
Kagome turns to the top of the stairs, "sorry, Shippo! If you hadn't been so close!" she calls.  
  
"That was a dirty trick!" Shippo yells back.  
  
"Well?" Kagome says. "I see why you wanted me to hold that." Sesshomaru begins. "Blowing that with all your wind . . . " he nods. "Once we've returned home, you must do that. I must see if I can still function under that attack."  
  
Sesshomaru pauses, "And, I, thank you for letting me hold it. IF you had been holding that all, this time . . . that would have implied a lack of trust in me."  
  
"I know." Kagome says as their eyes met.  
  
Mrs. H clears her throat. "Kagome?"  
  
Kagome sighs. Her fist curls around the dog whistle. "I'll be back shortly, Sesshomaru." She blinks. Her eyes shift to one wall. "While I'm gone, see if you can get through the well. And, if so, scout the area and find out what happened."  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "Of course." He looks at Mrs. H, "correct me if I'm wrong, madam, but, Inu-yasha has not been seen since he delivered Rin and Shippo."  
  
"That's correct." She replies.  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "He may not like Shippo, but, he would have returned to check on him by now, if possible. So, something must have happened to him that prevents him from returning to the well."  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath. "That's what I'm afraid of, Sesshomaru. Naraku attacking the village is the most likely reason."  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "I will make it through the well, and return, Miko Higurashi Kagome."  
  
Kagome and her mother leave the house.  
  
Sesshomaru leaves for the well house.  
  
Sesshomaru enters the well house. 'Power. But, it feels unstable, somehow.' He grimaces, 'I wish I knew more about temporal spells. Kagome has been impressed by my knowledge, but, my knowledge is so limited.'  
  
"You were carrying that thing all this time?" Shippo asks as he enters the well house. "My ears are still ringing."  
  
"Yes." Sesshomaru replies, without diverting his attention from the well. "I expect to be addressed properly, Kitsune."  
  
"I am sorry, your worshipfulness." Shippo says in a sarcastic tone. "Your relationship with your mother, Shippo, gives you some leeway in addressing this Sesshomaru. However, I, also, have a relationship with your mother. Do you wish to make her unhappy, which she will be, should we fight?"  
  
"No." Shippo growls. "So?"  
  
Sesshomaru growls.  
  
"So, Sesshomaru, sir, now what?"  
  
"Better, Shippo, son of Kagome." Sesshomaru replies. "How much do you know of this well?"  
  
Shippo moves up and stands next to Sesshomaru. "Not much. Kagome's tried to bring me through on many occasions. She even had Inu-yasha try a couple of times." He finishes with a suppressed glee in his voice.  
  
"I assume Inu-yasha had to be convinced by Kagome via the necklace?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
"Yes." Shippo's glee is obvious.  
  
"And?"  
  
"Nothing." Shippo replies, his glee gone. "It never worked. And the one time it did, I was unconscious, so . . . "  
  
"Kagome has never tried to examine it? Or the Village Miko, Keade?"  
  
"No. Kagome was always afraid that if we tried something, it might cause the well to stop."  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "I do sense some instability in it, so I won't try anything powerful."  
  
Sesshomaru steps on the top of the well.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Shippo asks his voice full of emotion.  
  
He spins, looks at Shippo.  
  
"Do you love her?" Shippo whispers.  
  
A pause.  
  
Sesshomaru looks into Shippo eyes. "Of course."  
  
"And what about me?" Shippo whispers.  
  
"My feelings are strong enough, Shippo, that under certain circumstances, you might become my adopted son, as well as hers."  
  
"A fate worse than death." Shippo grins at Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru's eyebrow rises. "It could be."  
  
Shippo purses his lips, 'I expected him to attack me for that one. Ok. Let's try this.'  
  
"Inu-yasha?"  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"That remains to be seen, Shippo. But, This Sesshomaru, lord of the western lands, will not attack first." Sesshomaru replies. "And, Shippo, son of Kagome, this Sesshomaru would appreciate it, if you would cease trying to provoke me. Unlike my brother, I will not give in to infantile fighting."  
  
A long pause . . .  
  
"Until I can talk to Kagome and get her side of the story." Shippo says.  
  
"Acceptable."  
  
Sesshomaru jumps down the well . . .  
  
Let's go to Kagome and her mother now . . . (yes, I'm evil)  
  
They are sitting on a nearby park bench. The park bench is semi-private, being surrounded by several trees. (At night, it's a favorite make-out bench, due to that fact . . . )  
  
"Well, Kagome?" her mother starts.  
  
Kagome leans over and hugs her mother, tightly. "Mom . . . " she whispers.  
  
Her mother wraps her arms around her daughter, "What happened?" she whispers.  
  
"A lot . . . " Kagome whispers, "I don't know where to start . . . "  
  
"It'll be ok." Kagome's mother whispers.  
  
"Sesshomaru and I." Kagome begins. "We . . . we were alone. Just the two of us, for two months." "Two months? It's only been one!"  
  
"The cube which was shifting us from world to world, could alter time as well, mother."  
  
"Ah." Mrs. h breathes. "And the two of you?"  
  
A pause.  
  
"Talking about this was sooo easy to plan." Kagome whispers. "But, now, when I have to . . . " Her voice trails off.  
  
Her mother hugs her tighter. "Kagome. Remember when I mentioned that spell that Inu-yasha gave me?"  
  
Kagome nods, rubbing her head against her mother's stomach, as she lays there.  
  
"I was never able to pull you back, but, I could feel you." Mrs. H says, "And I could feel your emotions, somewhat. So, please, tell me what happened. I know something did."  
  
"Ok . . . " Kagome whispers. "We were together, Sesshomaru and I. We were having adventure after adventure, mother. In that two months, the two of us, had more than a year's worth of adventures with Inu-yasha."  
  
"A bond formed between you two." Mrs. h states.  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
"I could tell that much. He was watching you as often as he could. Looking at him, I felt . . . that if you weren't there, he'd kill us, without remorse. But, you, your presence controls him."  
  
"He probably would." Kagome says in a dry voice. "He'd probably sacrifice you over the well, trying to get it to open, so he could go home." She sighs, "but . . . "  
  
"But?"  
  
"Everything is sooo . . . uncertain, mother." Kagome whispers. "Sesshomaru and I have a bond. A strong bond, as strong as my feelings for Inu-yasha."  
  
Her mother takes a deep breath. "And?"  
  
"Sesshomaru has saved my life many times, mother. I've saved his, too. Inu- yasha has saved my life many times, and I've saved his, as well." Kagome shivers as she tenses up.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
'I must be positive.' Kagome's mother thinks.  
  
"What can I do to help you?" Mrs. H asks.  
  
Kagome relaxes. "I don't know, mother. When we were planning this, Sesshomaru and I always assumed that we'd met Inu-yasha first. So, when I got home, I could tell you what happened, and ask for your blessing. Now. I don't know."  
  
Mrs. h sighs, "You've never liked to hurt anyone, have you?"  
  
"No." Kagome whispers, "And I'm going to hurt Inu-yasha, no matter what. But, if I break the bond between Sesshomaru and I . . . "  
  
"How strong is the bond between you and Sesshomaru?"  
  
A pause as Kagome considers her mother's question . . .  
  
"If it wasn't for the implants, I'd be pregnant." Kagome buries her face in her mother's lap.  
  
"I see . . . " Mrs. h hisses. "That often?"  
  
"Yes." Kagome nods. "We've been so busy the last couple of days that we haven't done it, but, Shippo still smelled it." Her face is beet red.  
  
"Hmmm." Mrs. H breathes, "A fine mess, my daughter."  
  
"Before, I never could understand how Inu-yasha could care about Kikyo and I, but, now." Kagome whispers.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"What, exactly, were you planning on? What was I to bless?" Kagome's mother asks.  
  
A pause.  
  
"IF Inu-yasha agreed . . . " Kagome begins, speaking slowly, she is obviously choosing her words with care. "The three of us . . . " A pause. "Mom?"  
  
"Go on."  
  
"You know how, in the past, men could have two wives."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Say it, Kagome." Mrs. H orders. "I want to hear this."  
  
"If Inu-yasha agreed, the three of us, would try to form some sort of triangular relationship."  
  
"What type?"  
  
"Sesshomaru has already agreed to let Inu-yasha marry me. All Sesshomaru want's is for me to be his concubine."  
  
"Inu-yasha is supposed to agree to this?"  
  
Silence . . .  
  
"If he doesn't, then . . . " Kagome whispers. "I don't know. No."  
  
Her voice strengthens, and she continues, "I know what will happen, mom. One of them will kill the other. And I will not love the man that killed a man that I love. So, One of them will die, the other will lose me. And I'll have two broken hearts."  
  
Kagome's mother lifts Kagome off her lap and hugs her, tightly. After a long tight hug, she releases Kagome.  
  
She holds Kagome's head up, so she can look her daughter in the eyes.  
  
Kagome is crying. Tears are flowing down her cheeks.  
  
Kagome's mother is crying. Tears are flowing down her cheeks.  
  
"Kagome." Mrs. H's voice breaks. She repeats herself, "Kagome. All I've ever wanted is for you to be happy." She licks her lips, "I'll agree to anything that makes you happy."  
  
Kagome hugs her mother, tightly, tears flowing.  
  
Mrs. h hugs Kagome tightly. She whispers, "You will forgive me, if I'm more comfortable around Inu-yasha."  
  
"Of course." Kagome says in relief. "Sesshomaru is a lot to get used to." She sighs, "I'm not totally comfortable with everything he does, but, I'm not totally comfortable with everything that Inu-yasha does, so that's nothing new."  
  
They hug for a minute.  
  
Kagome's mother clears her throat as she releases Kagome. "Kagome." She stops, pauses, then starts again, "Kagome, my dear, I do have more experience with men than you do." "You don't think it work, do you?" Kagome whispers, interrupting her mother.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"At best, it will work, for a short time, only." Mrs. H whispers. "Then, at best, the two of them will go off on a, call it 'hunting expedition'. And there will be a horrible accident."  
  
"Stop." Kagome calls out as she hugs her mother again, tightly. "I don't want to think about that."  
  
Kagome's mother hugs her daughter. "What do you want to think about?"  
  
Kagome sighs, "I just want everyone to live happily ever after."  
  
Mrs. H sighs, "I know. That's all I want as well."  
  
"Will you help me?" Kagome whispers.  
  
A pause, as her mother stares into space, thinking.  
  
She whispers, "As much as I can, my dear."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"But, I must tell you, that if given a choice, I will prefer you and Inu- yasha to be together."  
  
Kagome releases her mother, from the hug. She looks her mother in the eyes, and nods. "I understand. You're used to Inu-yasha." She brushes the tears from her eyes, "But, I think, that when you and Sesshomaru get to know each other, you'll change your mind."  
  
Mrs. H slowly nods, "Perhaps. He has been more polite than I ever thought that he would be. He has even been complimentary toward me, which is more than I can say for Inu-yasha. Still . . . " she shakes her head. "For you, my dear, I will give him a chance."  
  
Kagome gets off the bench and bows to her mother, "Thank you, mother."  
  
Mrs. h pats the bench beside her, "Sit."  
  
They both smile at each other, as Kagome sits down.  
  
"Now, onto other matters." Mrs. h begins, a brighter tone, "Shippo. What made you change your mind?"  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath. "That's something that I'd been thinking about, pretty much, ever since I've met him." Kagome shacks her head. "I probably would have. No. I would have made the same choice no matter what happened between Sesshomaru and myself."  
  
Kagome holds up her hand, her fingers are held apart, just barely. "I came this close to doing it the first night I breast feed him after his normal nightmare, mother." She sighs, "But, I could see Inu-yasha's reaction and held off."  
  
"I see." Mrs. H mummers.  
  
"Then, as Sesshomaru and I were getting to know each other, I began to think about my feelings for Inu-yasha, Shippo, Sango, even Miroku." Kagome says, in a slow deliberate tone. "And, I decided that just waiting and watching, and hoping that in the end, everything will turn out perfectly, like I had been doing, wasn't right."  
  
"Go ahead." Kagome's mother whispers, prodding her daughter.  
  
"Shippo wants and needs someone, mother. And, every time it was necessary to make that decision, about him, I'd chickened out. I would find an excuse and avoid the problem and delay it." Kagome pauses. "He deserves better than that, mother." She says in a hard tone. "Either I'm his mother, or I'm not. The maybe I am, the maybe I am not, just wasn't right for him."  
  
"And you decided to be his mother."  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
"Have you thought about Inu-yasha and how he'll react to this?"  
  
Kagome licks her lips and nods. "I have."  
  
"And?"  
  
"I am Shippo's mother. And that is a fact. Inu-yasha, and for that matter, Sesshomaru as well, will have to understand that, and accept that fact." Her mouth twists into a semi-smile, "I really don't think that Sesshomaru has thought that one through all the way yet, mother."  
  
"Hmmm? And why's that?"  
  
"That means that Shippo becomes his adopted son."  
  
"Ah. I see. And he's never mentioned it?"  
  
"No." Kagome sighs, "I can see why, though. Shippo will be with me, most, if not, all the time, so Sesshomaru would only be responsible for him half the time, maybe."  
  
"And you think that Sesshomaru might avoid his responsibilities?" Kagome shrugs. "He has told me that in the past, he has avoided similar responsibilities, but, I know that he's taken care of Rin for a while now. So, I think he's understands his responsibility, now." Her lips twist into a smile. "I just don't think that he likes it."  
  
Mrs. H's lips form a tight smile. 'Some men don't.' She thinks.  
  
"You should have mentioned this to Sesshomaru, however." Mrs. H says.  
  
Kagome sighs, "I know. I can make an excuse that we were too busy trying to stay alive. But, that's all it is an excuse. I should have brought it up, and I should have talked to him about Shippo." She sighs.  
  
Kagome's mother hugs her, "you'll find, my dear, that plans are wonderful things, but, they don't always work."  
  
Kagome sighs, and slumps into her mother's grasp. "I know. Or. I think I know that, mom."  
  
"You know that your grandfather will never approve of this."  
  
"He'll never approve of Inu-yasha." Kagome replies, instantly.  
  
"He might have. I have been working on him." Mrs. H replies. "But this plan? Never."  
  
Kagome sighs. She nods.  
  
"What about your other friends? Sango and Miroku? Have you thought about their reaction?"  
  
"Some." Kagome pauses, "Miroku will approve. Although, I'll have to decline his attempt to include himself into my plan."  
  
Mrs. H giggles. "I can see that."  
  
"Sango . . . " Kagome sighs, heavily. "I don't know. I don't think she'll like it, but, I also don't think it'll really affect our relationship."  
  
A pause. Kagome asks, "do you want me to tell you about our adventures?"  
  
"Not right now." Kagome's mother replies. "I'd let to get back before the kids destroy the house. And, I think that getting you and Sesshomaru on the other side of the well and helping Inu-yasha, is more important."  
  
Kagome hugs her mother. "Thank you, Mom."  
  
"I will want to know, sooner or later, my dear." "I will, mom, as soon as I could." Kagome releases her mother and stands up. "Shall we go back?"  
  
Mrs. H stands up.  
  
As they begin to walk home, Mrs. H says in a low voice, "You know, Kagome, with Inu-yasha, I felt that I could tweak his ears, instantly. But, not with Sesshomaru."  
  
"Yes. I know, mom." Kagome smiles, "although his ears are sensitive."  
  
"But, with Sesshomaru . . . " Kagome's mother begins to say, then she whispers, "Is his tail, and that is his tail, right? As soft as it looks?"  
  
Kagome whispers, "softer, mom. I've been sleeping in it for most of the last two months."  
  
Mrs. H's eyebrow raises, and she gives a soft whistle.  
  
Kagome blushes, deeply.  
  
"My little girl is grown up."  
  
Back at the house . . .  
  
"Sesshomaru and Shippo are in the well house, mother. I can feel them." Kagome says as she and she mother reach the top of the stairs.  
  
"I don't hear anything from the house, so, let's go there." Her mother replies.  
  
Kagome opens the well house door and they both enter.  
  
Sesshomaru and Shippo, both of whom are standing on the top of the well turn to look at them.  
  
"Any luck?" Kagome asks.  
  
"No." Sesshomaru growls.  
  
Shippo jumps into Kagome's arms.  
  
"I've tried several different ways, but, nothing." Sesshomaru replies. "I was about to try another way, but, I didn't think you'd appreciate it."  
  
"What were you thinking about?"  
  
"Shippo and Rin were unconscious when they went through the well." Sesshomaru begins. "Am I correct, in assuming that every time you attempted to bring Shippo through the well, he was conscious?"  
  
"You were going to knock Shippo unconscious?" Kagome asks/growls.  
  
"No. Explaining that, after the fact, would be difficult. I wanted to ask you for permission."  
  
Kagome blinks. "No." She states in a no-nonsense tone.  
  
"That might be the way to get through the well." Sesshomaru replies.  
  
Kagome shakes her head. "No. There is something else, which you don't know Sesshomaru."  
  
"Huh?" "What?" "Please explain?" the other three people in the well house say at the same time.  
  
"There is something else that can go through the well." Kagome replies. "I never considered it, but now, I wonder."  
  
"What?" all three ask.  
  
"Mother. Shippo and Rin were covered in blood right?"  
  
Her mother nods.  
  
"And neither one really had any major cuts on them?" Kagome asks. "I know that I didn't cure any."  
  
"Not really. Shippo had a few, but they were minor scratches."  
  
"So the blood was mainly Inu-yasha's?"  
  
Her mother nods. "I'd assume so. He did have some cuts on his clothes, and he was covered in blood."  
  
"Blood?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
"Mother." Kagome replies, "What did I give you as an emergency way to contact Inu-yasha?"  
  
"A piece of cloth with your blood on it." Her mother replies in a slow voice. "The smell of your blood would go through the well . . . "  
  
"Blood, Sesshomaru. I'm sure that is the way through the well."  
  
Sesshomaru's eye narrow, and take on a distance look as he things. "Wells use water. Blood is related to water." He nods. "I can see it."  
  
"So, if I put on clothes covered in your blood, Kagome, I can go through the well?" Shippo asks.  
  
Kagome nods. "I think so."  
  
"Did you just think of this?" Kagome's mother asks.  
  
Kagome shrugs. "Some. I'd always wondered about why my blood went through the well. But, when Shippo and Rin went through the well, covered in blood. That's when I really started to think about it. And since Sesshomaru can't get through, by himself." She nods in his direction. "That is what's left."  
  
"Then let's go." Sesshomaru growls. "I'll cut you myself."  
  
"In a few minutes, Sesshomaru." Kagome replies.  
  
"Why?" Sesshomaru growls.  
  
"There is something else that I need to do." Kagome says in a determined voice.  
  
"Explain." Sesshomaru demands.  
  
Kagome's eyebrow rises. "Follow me." She looks at her mother and Shippo. "Both of you as well."  
  
Kagome leaves the well house. Everyone follows her. She hands Shippo to her mother. She walks to the God Tree.  
  
She stops arms length away from the tree. She turns to looks at Sesshomaru. "There are two things that are constant in my journeys, Sesshomaru. The well and this." She reaches out and touches the tree.  
  
"The God Tree . . . " Sesshomaru's eyes widen. "You mean?"  
  
"I've got questions." Kagome presses against the tree. "And I want answers!?" she screams.  
  
She glows and vanishes in a flash of light.  
  
Sesshomaru's grabs empty air.  
  
"What happened?" Shippo asked.  
  
Sesshomaru growls, "During our journey, we decided that a deity was testing us. The journey, perhaps even the jewel, and even more was his fault." "The God Tree?" Shippo asks.  
  
"My assumption was Susano-O, the god that my family is descended from." Sesshomaru growls. "But. She's right. The God Tree makes sense."  
  
The next chapter: The God Tree.  
  
"I want some answers!" Kagome yells as she stands on a featureless plain. "I am not a pawn!"  
  
A voice coming from everywhere, or maybe nowhere, states. "If you were a pawn in my plan, you won't deserve an answer." A pause. "But, you are not a pawn."  
  
Kagome shivers. 'Now I will get some answers. Answers about the well, the jewel, and why me?'  
  
Authors' note: I had a reviewer ask about the ages of Sota, Rin, and Shippo. I'm not going to get exact on their ages. Sota is probably the oldest of the three. Rin's life before Sesshomaru was very hard and dangerous, so, she's had the worst life of the three. (Yes, Shippo lost his family, but Rin lost hers and was alone for an unknown length of time.)  
  
Shippo is probably the youngest in age, but, given his upbringing, he is more mature than a human child of the same age . . . I know that there are episodes that imply that Shippo is very old. Personally I find the idea that what, a 100-year childhood, to be wrong. Emotional Maturity is based on experience. (Yes, a bodies physical maturity matters, but, I've known ten/twelve years olds that I trust as adults, and there are forty some things that are very immature, and untrustworthy.) And if Shippo is say 50ish, and he is still immature . . . then something is very wrong with him and his upbringing. (Also, I've read various Kitsune legends. And Kitsune ages, etc., depended on the legend. In one legend, they age/mature as humans. In another, they are immortal. And yet another legend, they age 5 to 10 longer than humans. It all depends on the story.)  
  
Thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	7. The God Tree

Kagome's Return: chapter 6: The God Tree  
  
Also, known as Prolog: the God Tree.  
  
Authors' note: knowledge of my story: Spring Fertility Festival (esp. the last part of ch 5) is needed to understand this story.

* * *

Kagome leaves the well house. Everyone follows her. She hands Shippo to her mother. She walks to the God Tree.  
  
She stops arms length away from the tree. She turns to looks at Sesshomaru. "There are two things that are constant in my journeys, Sesshomaru. The well and this." She reaches out and touches the tree.  
  
"The God Tree . . . " Sesshomaru's eyes widen. "You mean?"  
  
"I've got questions." Kagome presses against the tree. "And I want answers!?" she screams.  
  
She glows and vanishes in a flash of light.  
  
Sesshomaru's grabs empty air.  
  
"What happened?" Shippo asked.  
  
Sesshomaru growls, "During our journey, we decided that a deity was testing us. The journey, perhaps even the jewel, and even more was his fault."  
  
"The God Tree?" Shippo asks.  
  
"My assumption was Susano-O, the god that my family is descended from." Sesshomaru growls. "But. She's right. The God Tree makes sense."  
  
"Are you going to attack the tree?" Kagome's mother asks.  
  
Sesshomaru looks up and down the God Tree. He growls. "This Sesshomaru will not. She could be anywhere, attacking the tree will not automatically return her."  
  
He taps the tree with his claws and removes a small piece of bark. "However, my patience isn't infinite. And torturing you, is a possibility." He growls at the God Tree  
  
Shippo and Mrs. H draw in deep breaths, as she takes a step back from Sesshomaru. Shippo hugs Kagome's mother tight.  
  
Somewhere else, perhaps inside the tree.  
  
"I want some answers!" Kagome yells as she stands on a featureless plain. "I am not a pawn!"  
  
A voice coming from everywhere, or maybe nowhere, states. "If you were a pawn in my plan, you won't deserve an answer." A pause. "But, you are not a pawn."  
  
Kagome shivers. 'Now I will get some answers. Answers about the well, the jewel, and why me?'  
  
The shapeless plain changes . . . it turns into a copy of the God Tree and the surroundings, on Inu-yasha's side of the well.  
  
She thinks, 'something. As the scene changed, I felt something. Pain? Aches? The throb of an open wound?'  
  
Appearing from behind the God Tree is an old man. His thin beard and hair are white from age. His silk clothes have a pattern of beautiful green leaves throughout it. Hanging around his neck is an acorn.  
  
"Go-Shin-Boku-kami?" Kagome whispers. 'I remember seeing him during the spring festival, but, he's different now, older, weaker.' She thinks.  
  
He nods. "Please, sit on the roots, my dear. I will." He waves his hand at the large above ground roots of the God Tree. He, with a large sigh, sits on one of them.  
  
'How do I act around him?' Kagome thinks.  
  
She bows deeply toward the Kami. Then, carefully, she sits down of the ground, in front of him.  
  
They look at each other.  
  
"You have questions?" The Kami asks in a gentle voice.  
  
Kagome nods. Her lips twist into a smile, "But, sir, I don't know where to start."  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami nods. He rubs his chin. "Child. Please touch my hand." He holds out his hand.  
  
Kagome swallows, she scoots forward and gently touches his hand.  
  
She yelps and pulls back her hand instantly. "That hurt!"  
  
"Hold my hand, child."  
  
"Sir, Why?"  
  
"I need to show you something. I need you to feel something."  
  
"It'll hurt."  
  
"Life often does hurt." A pause. "And, it will help explain why I've done what, and I've done to you."  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath, reaches out and grabs the Kami's hand.  
  
'Pain . . . The throb of an open wound . . . ' Kagome thinks as she grits her teeth. Her eyes open wide and she lets out of his hand.  
  
"You're dying!"  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami nods. "The power needed to maintain the well is greater than I thought it would be." His mouth twists into a smile. "I didn't expect to die because of my plan. But, I will." His eyes catch Kagome's. "I will be leaving you with great responsibilities."  
  
Kagome closes her eyes. "I thought it was something like that."  
  
A pause. She opens her eyes, "How much control over my life did I actually have? And how much do I have now?"  
  
A pause. The Kami sighs, "you had more than you're thinking. But, I did influence events."  
  
"Leaving me no choice but to do what you want me to do." She spits out.  
  
He nods. "And now? Soon." He pauses. He reaches up and grabs hold of the acorn. "You'll have full control of you life."  
  
"Only because I'll be living according to your plan." Kagome tries to hide it, but, her tone is accusatory.  
  
"My plan?" The Kami laughs softly. "My plan died a long time ago, Kagome. I've been trying to repair or create a new plan, ever since."  
  
"Your plan died?" Kagome's eyes widen in surprise.  
  
"I'm dying. That was not part on my original plan." Go-Shin-Boku-kami looks at the acorn. He looks at Kagome.  
  
Kagome looks at the acorn. 'Power! That acorn is full of power, I can feel it.'  
  
Kagome looks at the ground. "No. I'm not going to ask about your plan. I'm not to let you lead me down a primrose path."  
  
"Cautious, indeed." Go-Shin-Boku-kami mummers. "My plan."  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath and leans toward him.  
  
"Began decades ago. I had been noticing that the air and water around me were becoming unhealthy, but, I ignored it, like many of my fellows. We were quiet, asleep more than awake." He sighs, "And, since we were asleep, we were ambushed and the world changed. For me, I just barely woke up in time to save my life. There was a fire, decades ago, during a war between Nippon and the West."  
  
"The firestorm of Tokyo. When the Americans destroyed the city by burning it to the ground." Kagome whispers. (See note below to understand what Kagome is talking about)  
  
He nods. "I, barely, saved myself from that fire."  
  
Kagome nods. "Yes. I've heard rumors of something special happening that night. Some of the neighborhood was saved, mysteriously, that night."  
  
The Kami nods. "My doing." He pauses and looks off in the distance. "That woke me up. I felt around, trying to determine what had happened during my sleep. I tried to wake up more of my fellows." He grimaces, "Most were already dead, others are still in deep comas. The few that I did wake up." He sighs, "we argued about what to do. And time passed. I felt the world grow colder, harder."  
  
Kagome is staring at him, as he speaks.  
  
He looks at Kagome. "You do know that mankind is killing the world." He states.  
  
Kagome grimaces. "The Kyoto treaty? All the environmental" She starts to say, but.  
  
He waves his waves, "It's already too late. The world is like a dying tree. Oh, there might be some leaves, even some fruit, but the rot is deep. And, mankind doesn't care." He says harshly.  
  
Kagome opens her mouth to argue more, but shuts it. 'HE is a tree god. He must be closely connected to the earth.'  
  
"I want you, Higurashi Kagome, to change the world."  
  
Kagome blinks. "What!?"  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami nods. "I cannot do it. The times, the people have changed too much for me. But, someone must prevent mankind from killing the world."  
  
"But . . . but . . . "  
  
"My plan, my daughter, was to send someone, with the knowledge that mankind will destroy the world into the past. That person would prevent mankind from destroying the world."  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami sighs. "I, first, thought about your grandfather. But, his backbone would be weak for a jellyfish. Then, I considered, long and hard, your mother. But, when she was your age, Kagome, your mother was a very irresponsible person."  
  
His mouth twists into a grin, "I may have made a mistake in not choosing her. She has matured into a much better person than I would have thought."  
  
"So, me?" Kagome asks.  
  
The Kami nods. "So, you."  
  
"You're been controlling." Kagome pauses, "No, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, guiding my life from birth."  
  
"Before then, my daughter." Go-Shin-Boku-kami says.  
  
Kagome looks into his eyes. "That's twice. You mean that?" she whispers.  
  
He smiles, "Ask your mother about her wedding night, my daughter. It took very little effort to influence events and give me a chance to visit her."  
  
Kagome swallows. "That might explain my power . . . "  
  
Her father nods. "It does."  
  
"Why haven't . . . Sesshomaru or Inu-yasha, at least, should have noticed that . . . that I'm your daughter. You can't hide that!" She cries!  
  
He raises his eyebrow, "Of course not. But, since you've never known about it, and with your personality, beings like inu-yasha or Sesshomaru dismisses the possibility and wonder about a different excuse for your power."  
  
"All because I'm nice?"  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami nods. "The children of most gods tend to be spoiled brats. I know that from the children I had, ages ago. By having your mother raise you, as a normal human, that allowed you a better upbringing than anything else I could have done."  
  
Kagome stands up, abruptly. She begins to pace around looking at Go-Shin- Boku-kami. "Sota?"  
  
"A normal human child. I decided that you needed a brother, to help your education, so I."  
  
Kagome growls. She glares at the Kami. Her power dances in her eyes. "Stop!" she breathes deeply in and out, for several breaths, calming herself.  
  
He stares, unconcerned, back at her.  
  
"How many of my friends did you choose for me?" she whispers, glaring into his eyes.  
  
He stares back, "you may not believe me, but, I tried not to interfere with your life on a daily basis."  
  
"Daily!" Kagome screams, "What about weekly, huh! Or monthly! Damn it, Go- Shin-Boku-kami, how much of my life is my own!?"  
  
He looks away from her. "As long as it didn't interfere with my plans, I allowed your life to be as normal as possible."  
  
Kagome growls. She lifts her hand and looks at it. Sparks fly between her fingers. "Right now, Go-Shin-Boku-kami, I hate you worse than I've ever hated Naraku." She growls.  
  
He whispers, "Everything I've done is for the better good. Higurashi Kagome, someone must change the world." He pauses, "There is a human saying, 'Duty is heavier than a mountain, death is lighter than a feather.'"  
  
"I refuse that." Kagome growls. "I will choose my life."  
  
"And do what, Higurashi Kagome?" Go-Shin-Boku-kami asks. "What will you do?" He holds up his hand, "I don't mean over the next few days, I mean over your lifetime. Which, because, of your heritage from me, will be, at least, much longer than normal."  
  
"What do you mean?" she asks her tone, still upset. 'His heritage . . . that must explain Sesshomaru's unconcern about my lifespan, he must have known that I'll live longer than normal, he just didn't know why.' She thinks.  
  
"Let's assume that you live on the other side of the well." The Kami asks, "You know how the people live on that side. Wouldn't you try to make their lives better? Can you, for the rest of your life, let them live like that? Won't you try to prevent bandits, soldiers and others from hurting them? And, if you're successful, your fame will spread."  
  
Kagome calls out, "Stop!" she rubs her forehead. "I get it." She glares at Go-Shin-Boku-kami. "If I live in the past, I will change it." She grinds her teeth together. "I've seen a lot of bad men ruling Japan, and if I lived there, I would have to act against them."  
  
"And you'll have to replace them, somehow." He mummers. "Have you ever thought about the castles and villages that Naraku controls? What will happen to them after you've defeated him? Who will take control of them? And will he be as good a ruler as Naraku?"  
  
"Will we beat Naraku?" She asks.  
  
"That is the final test, my child." Her father replies. She shivers. "After that, there is no more. Except, of course, for the challenges that life brings."  
  
She grimaces, her eyes bore into his, "That is your promise. No more interference?"  
  
He smiles, "Of course. I'll be dead, soon. So there is no way that I can interfere."  
  
"And if we fail?"  
  
He sighs, "Then my plan fails. The world will be destroyed by mankind." His eyes spark, and he catches her eyes, holding them. "But, at least, I will die, knowing that I tried to save the world."  
  
"Damn you." She whispers, as his eyes hold hers.  
  
His eyebrow raises, "Inu-yasha has been a stronger influence than I thought."  
  
Her mouth tweaks into a smile. "I've spent most of the time with him convinced that his behavior is horrible, but." Her eyes narrow, "Right now, though, I wish I could yell, screams and curse you out, just like he would."  
  
He nods, "If you wish, you may do so. If that, makes you happy."  
  
She grimaces, "it wouldn't change a thing."  
  
"You are learning."  
  
Kagome sighs, "And, you're right. If we defeat Naraku, those castles and villages do become our responsibility. I've seen enough Daimyo's and bandit leaders to know that if we don't do something, they will."  
  
She bites her lips, "And, as much as I hate to admit, I've seen worse rulers than Naraku. He might treat everyone as slaves, but he knows that they have value, so he doesn't kill them, without reason. And I've meet people that would kill without reason." She pauses and asks, "And if I live with my mother?"  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami sighs, "How soon do you think it will take before men in black suits, start asking about you? Will you go with them and be their guinea pig?"  
  
Kagome purses her lips.  
  
"If you fight them, wouldn't you like to have a cause?" He continues, "saving the world is a better cause, than, say, leave me alone."  
  
Silence. Kagome begins to pace back and forth, thinking and glaring at Go- Shin-Boku-kami.  
  
She thinks, 'he's right. If I live on this side of the well, my powers will cause people to notice me. And if Shippo and the rest live on this side of the well, they'll be noticed. Can I leave them in the past? No. Not Shippo. I've promised him that I wouldn't. Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha?' She shivers. 'I... No. I will be with them. And if they live here . . . neither of them will be unnoticeable. Sango and Miroku? They actually might be able to blend in, but . . . '  
  
She cracks her knuckles. She stares at her hands, 'Inu-yasha's habit, he is part of me, no matter what. Hmmm. What about my daydream of becoming some sort of special agent? Maybe. But, even in that daydream, I was helping people. And if I'm helping people . . . I should help the most people, right? And saving the world . . . '  
  
Kagome stops her pacing. She turns and asks, "Go-Shin-Boku-kami. I would like a full explanation of what you've done to me and my friends?"  
  
He nods. "And you deserve it." He pauses, as he thinks, "My first plan began trying to create a person that cares."  
  
He nods to Kagome. "Your mother, by the way, had much more to do with that, then I ever dreamed of. Before I activated the well, I did not interfere with you life, to any great degree."  
  
"Truth?"  
  
"Truth."  
  
Kagome nods. "Thank you."  
  
"I would then create a portal to the past." He sighs, "That is where my plan failed."  
  
"But, the well goes to the past." Kagome says in a puzzled tone.  
  
He shakes his head, "No. It does not."  
  
"But? But?" Kagome sputters.  
  
"Like with the cube, the world on the other side of the well, is a different universe, not the past." He sighs, "although, I didn't realize it that until later. When I first talked to my younger self on that world, I really thought the well went to the past. I explained about how mankind is destroying the world to him and enlisted his support."  
  
He smiles, "A lot of your adventures on that side of the well are his doing, by the way. I just explained the problem and my desire to test you. To forge you into someone that can change the world."  
  
"Stop repeating that." Kagome growls. "I know what you want."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Continue with your story." She commands.  
  
"This, by the way, is when we decided to use the jewel of the four souls. The cycle of violence connected with the jewel, we thought, would be a perfect way to test you." Kagome shivers. "All we would have to do it nudge things along a little bit, the jewel and the grab for its power would do the rest. On his side of the well, Kikyo had been burned next to him and he used that opportunity to grab the jewel and Kikyo's soul."  
  
"And then you placed them in my body?"  
  
He nods. "I had thought that everything was going perfectly, until . . . I sent you through the well, then, I realized my mistake. My well went to another world, not to my past." He sighs. He glances at Kagome. "You don't know how close you came to be stranded on that side of the well, my child. I came very close to closing it and trying again."  
  
"But?"  
  
He grimaces, "It was too late. It took too much of my power to open the well. IF I closed it, I would not have the power to create a new portal. I didn't realize until later, that the well was taping my personal life force. But, I had to work with the well, as it was."  
  
"Wait!" Kagome cries. "What about the Noh Mask? I always considered that as proof that I was going to the past."  
  
"Ah. The mask?" He grins. "When the jewel shattered, my younger counterpart gathered up some of the shards. He is the reason that so many of them have fallen into the hands of the people that they did, by the way."  
  
"Naraku?"  
  
"He made sure that one of them found its way to him, along with enough knowledge to become your foe." Go-Shin-Boku-kami says, "He gave me a couple of the shards, so I could test you on this side of the well." He holds out his hand, and flips Kagome a shard. "Here, my child. I will not need this."  
  
Kagome grabs the shard from midair. "The mask?"  
  
"I created it. And placed a shard in it." Go-Shin-Boku-kami smiles. "I wanted you to believe that the well went to the past, so I had to create a link. I even gave the mask some false memories, just in case you somehow talked to it."  
  
"False memories?" Kagome asks. She brightens, "Ah, I see."  
  
"That, by the way, is when I learned about the well tapping my life force. The creation of the mask drained me more than it should." He sighs, "Which is why I didn't use that other shard. It would take too much energy to create the enemy that I had planned."  
  
"What did you have planned?"  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami pauses, "I was going to create a false reincarnation of one of your foes, and then have it find a shard." He nods to the shards. "And use that to take control of a body here in the present, probably Hojo."  
  
Kagome glares at him. "It's a good thing that you never did that. If you had hurt my friends." She hisses.  
  
He raises an eyebrow, "And hurting your enemies is better?"  
  
She grimaces and nods. "You're right. Hurting anybody is bad."  
  
"After that." The Kami sighs and repeats himself, "After that, I didn't do much. I prodded my younger self to get this." He holds up the acorn.  
  
"What is it? I can feel it's power." Kagome whispers.  
  
"This is Izanagi's, the father of all us, favor." Go-Shin-Boku-kami says, "During the Spring festival, my younger self invited Izanagi to appear."  
  
Kagome blushes as she remembers the spring fertility festival . . . and the appearance of various gods as part of the ceremony. She nods.  
  
"Before Izanagi left, he gave this to him." He tosses the acorn up. It lands in his palm. "This is the raw power of a god." He sighs, "I have considered, long and hard, using it to restore myself."  
  
Kagome draws in a deep breath. He shakes his head. "But. That wouldn't change much and I'd have to do this all over again." He smiles at Kagome. "And waste you and your effort."  
  
Kagome pauses as she thinks. 'Should I love or hate that statement?' She doesn't react to it, undecided.  
  
He sighs, "and by the time a new generation was born, any chance of saving the world would be gone. Mankind must be stopped and soon."  
  
Kagome licks her lips and asks, "The cube?"  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami gives a small laugh. "That didn't work like I had hoped." He takes a deep breath and sighs, "Once I recognized the problem with the well. I started trying to find a way to change so it did connect to the past. While I was doing that, my mind meet Cthulhu. He was testing that cube."  
  
"And the two you decided to send Sesshomaru and me on that journey." Kagome growls.  
  
"Actually, my dear, no." He states. Kagome's mouth opens. He continues, "I wanted you and Inu-yasha to go on that journey."  
  
Her mouth shuts his with an audible snap.  
  
"The two of you needed to be alone to get past yours and his difficulties and become the team that I knew you could become. A journey, with just the two of you, would do it. Cthulhu, however, changed it. He choose Sesshomaru." He pauses, "And, he prevented me from affecting you during that journey."  
  
"So everything that happened."  
  
"I didn't affect."  
  
"I don't believe you."  
  
He nods. "That is your right. I am telling the truth." Kagome grimaces. "Your mother, is the one that you need to thank."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"She continued to use the spell that Keade gave her. And she keep trying to bring you home. While she didn't succeed, she did bring you to the world where the Goddesses lived."  
  
"And from there . . . " Kagome whispers. She looks sharply at him. "You know about the airport. Was that you?"  
  
He shakes his head, "not really. I'm just not going to prevent the professional paranoia of the security agencies from acting normally. I'd imagine that it'll take a week or so for all the reports to get through the bureaucracy. Then, your problems here will start."  
  
"Your plan seems to be set up for me to live in the world on the other side of the well and change it. Not here." Kagome accuses him. "But, if I live in that world, then you die on this world." Kagome is interrupted before she can finish.  
  
"And that doesn't make sense?" He asks himself. He nods. "You must remember Kagome, it wasn't until you traveled through the well, that I realized my mistake. And it wasn't until after the Noh mask that I understood that there was no way to change the well. So, all the plans were set up you to change the past, not the present."  
  
He sighs, "And, then . . . " He shakes his head. "I started trying to plan things. Trying to change things around. That is why you meet Tendo Akane and her finance Ranma."  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"I just made sure that your opponent found out about you, nothing more." Go-Shin-Boku-kami replies. He grimaces, "I have soo little power left, that there isn't much more I can do." He sighs, deeply again, "And since my plan to change the past meant that I wouldn't have to worry about understanding the present, I didn't pay close attention to the present. So, all my planning had to start from seed."  
  
He looks at the acorn. He looks at Kagome. "My fragility means that there isn't time for more elaborate planning."  
  
A pause, as they stare at each other.  
  
"Mankind will destroy this world or the world on the other side of the well, Higurashi Kagome." Go-Shin-Boku-kami states. "I've done what I can to help you change either world."  
  
He waves, and three-dimensional holograms of Kagome's friends, Shippo, Sango, Miroku, Keade, Kouga, Sesshomaru, and Inu-yasha appear before him. "On that side of the well, your friends include a woman whose common sense is always useful. A kitsune, for his spying. Miroku for his knowledge. And some of the most powerful warriors in existence."  
  
Holograms of Kagome's mother, Sota, and the Ranma cast, appear. "On this side of the well, your friends include your mother, whose also possess great common sense. Your family is respected and your neighborhood will rally around you. And you are friends with some of the powerful warriors in existence."  
  
He stares into Kagome's eyes. She stares back, unflinching.  
  
Her jaw clenches and unclenches, "change the world." She whispers.  
  
She glances at the acorn. "That is my reward when I return, I assume?"  
  
He nods.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Was I correct about the well? Will my blood get Sesshomaru through?"  
  
He nods. "It would be easiest on my powers if your blood and their blood were mingled together. I would suggest cutting your palm and cutting his, then, while holding hands, jump through the well."  
  
Kagome nods. "You're dying. How long?"  
  
He sighs. "That depends on the well. The more you use it, the faster it drains my power."  
  
"Can you use mine?"  
  
He shakes his head. "Not without killing you."  
  
Kagome grimaces. "How many times?"  
  
"Some, I'm not that weak yet." Go-Shin-Boku-kami replies. "I'll try to warn you and give you some notice. But. Each time the well is used it draws more power."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
Kagome nods. "I want to return to my house. Please."  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami nods. The holograms vanish.  
  
Kagome vanishes . . .  
  
Outside the tree . . .  
  
Kagome appears.  
  
Shippo, Sota and Rin are playing around the base of the tree. Kagome's mother is watching the tree, standing next to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru is watching the tree. His fingers are extended and his claws are sharp . . .  
  
"Kagome!" her mother, Shippo, Sota and Rin yell. Her mother wraps her up in a huge hug.  
  
Kagome hugs her mother back. "Mother!" Shippo, Sota and Rin gather around Kagome, touching and hugging parts of her body.  
  
"Kagome?" Sesshomaru growls. "Was he the one?"  
  
Kagome, looking over her mother's shoulder, nods. "Yes. He is."  
  
"And?" His growl deepens. Shippo, Rin and Sota put Kagome between them and Sesshomaru.  
  
"And I've got things to tell you." Kagome says, her voice low and hard.  
  
The end chapter 6

* * *

Authors' note: in the last chapter, I mentioned Kagome breast-feeding Shippo. That is part of my story Motherhood. Please read that story for the full details.  
  
Authors' note: during WWII on the night of March 9 and 10, 1945. 334 B-29 bombers loaded with firebombs attacked the city of Tokyo with about 1,700 tons of bombs. The resulting firestorm . . . burned more than 16 square miles (10,000 acres for readers used to stories about western fires) of the heart of the city. More than 100,000 people died. (Exact numbers where never determined. Some of the victims tried to escape by hiding in various rivers. You had a choice. Drown or be burned to death . . . )  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	8. naraku part 1

Kagome returns chapter 7: Naraku part 1.  
  
Kagome nods. "I want to return to my house. Please."  
  
Go-Shin-Boku-kami nods. The holograms vanish.  
  
Kagome vanishes . . .  
  
Outside the tree . . .  
  
Kagome appears.  
  
Shippo, Sota and Rin are playing around the base of the tree. Kagome's mother is watching the tree, standing next to Sesshomaru. Kagome's Grandfather is watching through a window, as he stays in the house.  
  
Sesshomaru is watching the tree. His fingers are extended and his claws are sharp . . .  
  
"Kagome!" her mother, Shippo, Sota and Rin yell. Her mother wraps her up in a huge hug  
  
Kagome hugs her mother back. "Mother!" Shippo, Sota and Rin gather around Kagome, touching and hugging parts of her body.  
  
"Kagome?" Sesshomaru growls. "Was he the one?"  
  
Kagome, looking over her mother's shoulder, nods. "Yes. He is."  
  
"And?" His growl deepens. Shippo, Rin and Sota put Kagome between them and Sesshomaru.  
  
"And I've got things to tell you." Kagome says, her voice low and hard.  
  
Sesshomaru glances at the God tree. Kagome, trying to prevent him from acting on the spur of the moment, says, "He is the power source of the well, Sesshomaru. Without him, the well will not function."  
  
Sesshomaru spins, putting his back toward the God Tree, he growls, "What else did you learn?"  
  
"Other than my life was never mine to begin with." Kagome says. Her disgust is obvious. Kagome's mother's eyes widen, but she doesn't say anything. "Not much that really is important, here and now." "In the future?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
A pause.  
  
Kagome looks at Shippo, her mother and Sesshomaru. "In the future? Yes, I learned things that will be important. But, anything about what's happening on the other side of the well? Or Inu-yasha?" She shakes her head. "I did find out that my idea about my blood is correct, but that's it."  
  
"And that's not important?" Her mother asks.  
  
Kagome shrugs. "For here and now, yes, mother. But, compared to everything else, no."  
  
Her mother, Shippo and Sesshomaru exchange puzzled glances.  
  
Kagome sighs, deeply. "Sesshomaru, I think we need to get to the other side of the well, as quickly as possible."  
  
"You expect a fight?" he asks.  
  
"Don't you?"  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "Then we should be prepared." He says, as he slides the backpack off his shoulders. He starts to dig through it.  
  
"Kagome?" Shippo asks, just before her mother can say the same thing.  
  
She looks at him, "Shippo." She pauses, then bites her lips. "From everything I learned, it's my guess that this will be the final fight against Naraku."  
  
"I'm coming." Shippo declares as he jumps out of Kagome's mother's arms. He stands, his fists on his hips, talking to Kagome.  
  
"Shippo." Kagome pauses again. "Please. You're safe, here. Please. Stay." She bends down so that she is on her knees as she says that. Tears begin to well up in her eyes. Sesshomaru looks at her and Shippo, and gives a soft curse.  
  
Shippo shakes his head, no.  
  
"Kagome?" her mother asks.  
  
Kagome, still crouched down, looks up at her. "Mother."  
  
They stare into each other's eyes.  
  
"Which do you want to use, Kagome?" Sesshomaru asks, interrupting that stare. He is holding her machine gun in one hand, and her star wars blaster in the other.  
  
Kagome looks over. "Oh. The star wars blaster."  
  
"Star wars blaster?" Mrs. H asks.  
  
Kagome blushes. "We visited the Star Wars universe, mother." She smiles. "We were on Endor, just before the final battle in the movie Return of the JEDI."  
  
"Oh!"  
  
"Really!" Sota cries in delight as he runs up to Kagome.  
  
"We'll leave the backpack behind, Mom, in it is my camera and film. If you could, please, take them and get the pictures made." Kagome smiles, "There are pictures of some magnificent scenes, and some of the wonderful people that we meet."  
  
She reaches out and ruffles Sota's hair. "Including pictures of the star wars cast. And pictures of dinosaurs."  
  
"Dinosaurs!" Sota cries, smiling. "Really!"  
  
Kagome smiles, "Even one with me riding a Triceratops."  
  
"Ohhh!" Sota wordlessly moans in delight.  
  
"Your sword." Sesshomaru says as he walks over and hands Kagome, Jaa Kalpa. Kagome stands up and belts her sword around her waist.  
  
"Sword?" Shippo asks. "You've never . . . "  
  
"I had to learn, Shippo." Kagome replies. She pulls her sword from its scabbard. "This is Jaa Kalpa, Shippo." She smiles. 'Hopefully, Naraku will be very shocked. Between the blaster and Jaa Kalpa, I should be able to surprise him.'  
  
Shippo looks at the sword. He frowns. "It's not in Tetsusaiga's class." He says. He shivers at the cold breeze that circles him.  
  
"Shush." Kagome says to her sword. "He doesn't know you." She sheaths the sword and swings the blaster over her shoulder. Sesshomaru hands her a couple of extra power packs, as well.  
  
Shippo's eyes widen . . .  
  
"Your camera and film." Sesshomaru mentions as they appear in his palm. (His speed comes in handy, no?)  
  
"Please give them to my mother, Sesshomaru." Kagome says in a distracted voice. She looks at Shippo, again. She sighs, "will you stay and be safe?"  
  
Shippo shakes his head, no.  
  
Kagome purses her lips, and glances at her mother, as she is accepting the camera and film from Sesshomaru. Mrs. h sighs, "Shippo. I would like to get to know my grandson." She announces.  
  
Shippo spins, staring at Kagome's mother. "That's cheating." He hisses.  
  
Mrs. H nods. "It is, isn't it." She replies.  
  
Shippo's head swings back and forth between Kagome and her mother. He, finally, looks at Sesshomaru.  
  
"You wish this Sesshomaru's opinion?" Sesshomaru rumbles. "Your mother will be worried about her son. That could cause her to make a mistake. And, you are a potential hostage."  
  
"I am not a wimp." Shippo growls as he puffs himself up, growing taller.  
  
Sesshomaru's eyebrow raises, "I did not state that. Your mother will want to protect you, and that could be a mistake. You could be as powerful as myself, and out of her concern, she would still make that decision."  
  
"Ha!" Shippo points. "I've got you, Sesshomaru! Kagome cares about you!"  
  
"And she knows that I can protect myself." Sesshomaru glares at Shippo.  
  
"So can I!" Shippo shouts as he glares back.  
  
Kagome steps in-between Shippo and Sesshomaru. "Stop. You two, stop it, right now." She extends her hands spreading them apart. She turns to Shippo. "Shippo."  
  
"No." Shippo interrupts. "I'm going." He declares.  
  
Kagome bites her lips. "Shippo. Please." She looks at Sesshomaru. "Rin will be staying."  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "There is no need to throw her into a major fight. Naraku has made attempts on her life. There is no reason to give him the chance to make another."  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Rin quietly asks. "Please?" Sesshomaru bends down and looks Rin in her eyes. "This Sesshomaru saw you and Kagome's brother playing. You are having fun. This Sesshomaru wishes you to continue to have fun. I will return and you will be with me."  
  
Rin quickly hugs Sesshomaru, then lets go. "Missed you." She whispers. A tear begins to fall down her cheek.  
  
HE reaches out and wipes up the tear. He pauses. "This Sesshomaru missed you, as well."  
  
Shippo looks at Kagome, his eyes wide with shock.  
  
Kagome nods, smiles, and mouths the words, 'See, he is not a monster.'  
  
Sota, after his mother whispers in his ear, walks over to Rin. "Rin, please stay." He says. He looks at Shippo. "You too, Shippo."  
  
Rin looks at Sesshomaru. She looks at Sota. She nods her head, yes.  
  
Everybody looks at Shippo.  
  
He shakes his head, no. "I'm going." He growls.  
  
"Shippo." Kagome begins to say, "Sesshomaru and I, before we arrived home, had problems getting home. People will be looking for us." She licks her lips, "And, I know that you can pretend to be me. Can you stay on this side of the well, and pretend to be me? That would help my mother and myself out."  
  
Shippo's jaw clenches and unclenches. "You mean that, Kagome?"  
  
She replies, "My mother can show a couple of spy movies." She nods her head to her mother. Mrs. H nods back. "That way you'll know what to do."  
  
"What will he need to do, Kagome?" Mrs. H asks.  
  
"You told everyone that I'm home sick, right?" Kagome asks. Her mother nods, yes. "Then, all he has to do is pretend that I was sick. And you can tell him about fingerprints, and such. I don't think that they'll ask for it. Not the first time, but, just in case."  
  
"Fingerprints?" Shippo asks.  
  
"I can tell you about them." Sota says as he tries to show how knowledgeable he is.  
  
"Please, Shippo, stay on this side of the well, and help me."  
  
Shippo opens his mouth. He closes it. He sighs, deeply. He nods, yes, sharply, once. Kagome hugs him tightly. "Thank you." She whispers in his ear.  
  
"I hate this." Shippo whispers back.  
  
"I know." She replies, still whispering. "But, this way, I won't be distracted."  
  
Shippo sighs as he releases Kagome. He slowly, his tail dragging, walks to Kagome's mother. She picks him up and whispers into his ear. "I am very proud of you, Shippo."  
  
Shippo, his eyes wide, looks at Kagome's mother. "Huh?"  
  
"It takes a real man to do that." She replies. "Would Inu-yasha do it?"  
  
"Never." Shippo replies instantly.  
  
"And, if you're smart, do you do the same thing that inu-yasha does, or do the opposite?"  
  
Shippo opens his mouth . . . he leaves it open.  
  
Sesshomaru begins to laugh.  
  
Everyone looks at Sesshomaru.  
  
He quickly stops laughing, and nods to Mrs. H. "Mother of Kagome, your wisdom is great."  
  
She raises her eyebrow at Sesshomaru. "That, by the way, does not mean that your wisdom is also great."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"And yours?" Sesshomaru asks he growls.  
  
"I'm wise enough to know that I'm not wise. Can you say the same?"  
  
He raises his eyebrow and nods, respectfully, to her. "I have, in the past, always assumed that humans, especially human females were, at best, power- hungry whores. Between yourself and your daughter, I know, now, that I'm mistaken."  
  
"Has it occurred to you, yet, that where there is two that break that prejudice, there might be more?"  
  
"It has."  
  
"Has it occurred to you about what you are missing?"  
  
Sesshomaru looks puzzled, and he doesn't reply. Mrs. H smiles. "Think upon that."  
  
Sesshomaru looks at Kagome. Kagome smiles . . . a smile stolen from the Mona Lisa. Sesshomaru growls, deep in his chest. 'Females . . . ' he thinks. 'Why must they always be mysterious?'  
  
Kagome bites her lips, then walks up to her mother. She hugs her mother, tightly. "I'll be back." She whispers.  
  
Her mother hugs her back, tightly. "I know you will."  
  
Kagome releases her mother. She wipes her eyes and looks at Sesshomaru. "Let's go."  
  
Sesshomaru nods, sharply.  
  
They walk into the well house.  
  
Sesshomaru is wearing his traditional clothes, his two swords at his side. Kagome is wearing her normal school clothes. Her sword is at her side, and a star wars blaster is on her back.  
  
Shippo starts to walk behind them, but Mrs. H scoops him up in her arms. He glares at her. She stares back. "I hate this." Shippo whispers.  
  
Mrs. H looks around and waves Sota and Rin to stand next to her. They do. She bends down onto one knee. She places Shippo on her shoulder, like Kagome does. Her arms wrap around the two children. "They'll be back." She says, her voice full of emotion.  
  
The Well house glows blue . . .  
  
The blue fades . . .  
  
Shippo turns and looks at the God Tree. 'He controls the well, hmm. That is useful knowledge. Now, how to use it?' he thinks. 'How do I get him to let me through?'  
  
On the other side of the well . . .  
  
Kagome and Sesshomaru arrive at the bottom of the well. They are holding hands. Blood is dripping from their fingers. "That was interesting." Sesshomaru remarks as he lets go of her hand.  
  
Kagome nods. "The first time . . . " She smiles as she continues, "I was soo frightened. But mistress centipede's attacks prevented me from dwelling on it. I had to react to her, not curl up in a ball, like I wanted to."  
  
He grunts. Sesshomaru frowns and looks around at the vine covered interior of the well. 'Something's wrong' he thinks. He sniffs.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome whispers, as she sees him tense.  
  
"Naraku has been down here." Sesshomaru whispers.  
  
"You're right. I have." Naraku yells from the top of the well. "While the villagers that I tortured didn't know why this well was important, they did know enough to make me investigate it." His feminine appearing face appears over the edge of the well.  
  
Sesshomaru pulls his sword, Tokijin. He moves, fast, super-fast up the well. 'Kill him, now. No playing around.' Sesshomaru thinks.  
  
CRASH!  
  
Sesshomaru bounces off the magical shell sealing the entrance of the well and falls back into the well. He lands heavily, partially stunned from the impact. Kagome rushes to him, and begins to help him.  
  
"And, I did prepare." Naraku smiles. "The seal is only one-way." He drops a couple of pottery jars into the well. They shatter on impact. A black gas forms inside the well. It quickly expands and obscures the interior of the well.  
  
Two soft thuds are heard . . .  
  
The Naraku puppet smiles . . . The puppets arms changing into tentacles. 'Soon the gas the fade. And I will take them to the village.'  
  
Later . . .  
  
Kagome opens her eyes slowly. 'Argghh. My head aches.' She thinks. 'What was that gas?' She blinks several times, trying to focus her eyes. She tries to move, but nothing. 'Tied up. Again.'  
  
"Ahh, you're awake." Naraku's voice purrs.  
  
Kagome's eyes finally focus. She can see that she's inside a large silk tent. Off to one side is fine, but small, chest, and a pile of cloth, perhaps clothes or pillows. She is tied to the central post holding up the tent.  
  
She, except for the one person in front of her, is alone in the tent.  
  
Sitting cross-legged, in front of her, is Naraku. Beside him is a silver tray with a pot of tea and a couple of cups. "I would offer you some tea, but, you would decline it." He says. He languorously waves to the tent. "The quality of the accommodations in Keade's village declined noticeably as my army of demons conquered the village."  
  
Kagome licks her lips, feeling their dry roughness. 'No. I'm not going to ask him for anything. Besides who knows what might be in that tea?' she thinks. She swallows a couple of times, trying to clear her throat.  
  
Naraku sighs, "I came, by the way, very close to killing you while you sleep. That probably was the safest course of action."  
  
"Why?" Kagome croaks out.  
  
"Why didn't I?" Naraku finishes for her. He reaches into his robes and brings out the complete Jewel of the Four Souls.  
  
Kagome stares at it. She then ignores it and looks into Naraku's eyes.  
  
"Killing you while you were asleep implies that I'm afraid of you. I am not afraid of you." He hisses.  
  
Kagome's eyes hard, she whispers, "My friends?"  
  
"You will have the pleasure of seeing their deaths."  
  
Kagome closes her eyes and concentrates. Her hands close into fists. They whiten from the stress being applied. The veins at her temples pulse. 'He's blocking me. Somehow.' She thinks. She opens her eyes. The jewel of the four souls is glowing black.  
  
"I will beat you." She hisses.  
  
Naraku can see the spell scrolls that he pasted on her, before she woke up, glow and smoke. Around her, on the earth floor of the tent, the mystical containment symbol glows, and a dome of power forms around her. White sparks flow from her . . . they meet the glowing dome around her and gets reflected back to her.  
  
'I never . . . ' Naraku thinks. 'The scrolls, alone, would have contained all but the most powerful of demons. The containment dome is unbreakable, designed to contain the worst creatures of hell. And I can feel the jewel's power stopping her as well. All three are just barely doing it . . . What is she?'  
  
The glow of powers involved grow. Naraku covers his eyes, to protect them from the glare.  
  
The glow fades . . .  
  
Kagome slumps in her bonds, unconscious . . .  
  
She did not break free . . .  
  
Naraku licks his lips. 'I should kill her, now.' He looks down at his right hand. It changes into a horrible razor-sharp clawed hand. He grimaces. 'No. I'm not afraid, especially of a girl.' His arm changes back.  
  
Elsewhere . . .  
  
Sesshomaru opens his eyes. 'Fool.' He thinks. 'Of course, Inu-yasha would never think that someone would learn about the well. And he, of course, never protected it.' He blinks several times, trying to clear his eyes.  
  
"Look who's awake." Inu-yasha's familiar sneer focus Sesshomaru's eyes.  
  
Inu-yasha is laying on the ground, on his side. He is tied up with metal chains, and attached to those chains are spell scrolls. Sesshomaru's eyes narrow as he reads their magic. 'Sealing scrolls.'  
  
Sesshomaru tries to move his limbs. He can hear metal scrapes against metal and the rustle of paper.  
  
"You're trapped, like us, Lord Sesshomaru." Miroku says.  
  
Sesshomaru looks around. He, and others, are in a tent. He is tied to the central post. Around him he can see, in addition to Inu-yasha, Kirara in small cat form, and Miroku. They are tied up, like Inu-yasha. The scents of Keade and Sango are behind him.  
  
Sesshomaru asks Inu-yasha, "Why are we still alive?"  
  
"He wants us alive to use as hostages against Kagome." Sango says from behind him.  
  
"Then why are we still alive?"  
  
"He's got Kagome!" Inu-yasha yells. His chains rattle as he twists.  
  
"Did you not smell her on me?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
Inu-yasha glares at him, but doesn't say a thing.  
  
"Lord Sesshomaru was she still with you?" Miroku asks.  
  
"Yes, Monk. Naraku trapped the well that she and Inu-yasha uses. Sleeping gas."  
  
"Shippo and the child Rin?" Keade asks.  
  
"Still on the other side of the well."  
  
"Thank the gods for that." Keade replies.  
  
"Yes." Miroku and Sango chorus.  
  
"I am still awaiting an answer to my question. Why are we still alive?" Sesshomaru.  
  
Naraku swings open the tent flap and enter the tent. "Because, Lord of the western lands, you, your brother, and these humans will die at my pleasure."  
  
"And when we that be?" Sesshomaru growls. 'He'll have to move us. While that is happening . . . Then, the protection spells will be at the weakest. Then, I can escape and rescue Kagome.' He thinks.  
  
Similar thoughts flash through the minds of the others.  
  
"In a few hours, Lord of the Western lands. There are some things that need to be prepared." Naraku replies. "Once it is dark, we will begin."  
  
"Kagome?" Inu-yasha growls.  
  
"Alive." Naraku replies. "And, still basically unhurt."  
  
"Still?" Sango asks before anyone else can speak.  
  
Naraku smiles, a bone chilling smile . . .  
  
The chains and paper around Inu-yasha shake and rattle. "You goddamned mother fucker! I will kill you! I will eat . . . " A piece of paper covers his mouth, stopping his screams.  
  
Naraku sighs, as his fingers wiggle, "your language, Inu-yasha. I enjoy conversation, not screaming."  
  
"What will happen?" Miroku asks.  
  
Naraku looks around the tent. "You will be tortured to death for the amusement of the demons that follow me. All of you have made many enemies," he smiles, "They were all happy to come to witness your deaths. Which is why there is a delay, some of them can't appear in sunlight, and others won't arrive until nightfall."  
  
"Torture?" Sango asks.  
  
"Of course." Naraku replies. He holds up the Jewel. "Between this, your deaths, and Kagome by the end of tonight, I will control most of the demon's in Japan. All but a few of the most powerful or the weakest families will be here tonight." He smiles. "Tonight. I become the ruler of demons of japan."  
  
He pauses, then says in an amused tone, "I will be kind and allow you to see Kagome before your deaths." Everyone, even Inu-yasha stops thrashing around, and looks at him. "She will be beside me, watching." HE sighs, "Of course, that does mean that I'll be denied the pleasure of watching your expressions as I kill her, but, occasionally you must give up something."  
  
"You want to see her expression as you kill us." Sesshomaru states in his emotionless voice.  
  
Naraku nods. "I wonder." He looks at Inu-yasha. "Will she, say, offer me her undying love to save you?" even through the paper Inu-yasha's wordless scream is heard.  
  
Naraku's eyes narrow, his head swings to Sesshomaru. 'There was something. As I said that . . . he reacted. Why? I know that they appeared together, but, why?' he thinks.  
  
Sango growls, "You're going to try to corrupt Kagome tonight, aren't you? You'll offer to stop our torture, if she follows you. If she binds herself to you."  
  
Naraku bows to her. "My dear exterminator you are formidable. Did you know that your death, especially for the weaker of my followers, is being highly anticipated? I've been given a large number of suggestions about your torture. I do hope that you live long enough and scream loud enough to please my followers."  
  
Sango stares at Naraku. Hate shines in her eyes. "My dying breath will be to curse you, Naraku. I will be reborn. So, even if I can't kill you, my reincarnation will."  
  
Naraku nods to Sango, but doesn't answer her. He looks around, "Prepare yourselves." He growls as he leaves.  
  
Silence . . .  
  
"Any plan?" Miroku whispers into the silence.  
  
"I will rip off his dick, shove it down his throat." Inu-yasha growls. "I will rip out his intestines and use them to tie his arms down. I will shatter every bone in his body."  
  
"We get the idea, Inu-yasha." Sango says, wearily. "The problem is how to get free so you can do that."  
  
"I'm fucking trying to break these fucking chains, bitch." Inu-yasha growls back. "Let's see you do that!"  
  
"He's got a scroll on me that saps my strength." Sango replies. "Monk?"  
  
"He is smart enough to make sure that my fingers can't reach anything."  
  
"Keade?" Sango asks.  
  
"I'm sorry, child, but, there is nothing that I can do."  
  
"Lord of the western lands?" She asks.  
  
"I will be free, soon." He states.  
  
"How?" everyone in the room asks.  
  
"My claws are, slowly, cutting the metal chains." Sesshomaru declares. "But, if he's going to begin in a few hours. I am not have time to cut free."  
  
"Do you know that I can see blood from your fingertips?" Sango asks.  
  
"That is the other problem. The scrolls are weakening my claws. They are slowly separating from my fingertips."  
  
"Painful?"  
  
"Insignificant."  
  
"Inu-yasha?" Miroku asks.  
  
"Working on it." Inu-yasha growls as he begins to twist around. "And when I get free, after I've killed Naraku, you're next, Sesshomaru." His voice is low, hard and angry.  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. "You might wish to speak with Kagome before that."  
  
Inu-yasha wordlessly growls as his claws begin to scrap against the metal chains.  
  
"Kirara?"  
  
Kirara meows . . .  
  
On the other side of the well . . .  
  
A small human-shape is next to the God Tree. Around it is some spell scrolls, some incense, and all the other things you need to worship a Shinto deity.  
  
"Please, God, this servant begs a favor of thou." The small human-shaped being bows to the tree. "I will give thee anything, but please, allow me to use thy well."  
  
Another, larger human walks up, and bows to the God Tree. "I, also, offer you anything."  
  
Mrs. H raises from her bow, "Anything to be allowed to help my daughter."  
  
Silence . . .  
  
The God tree begins to speak . . .  
  
Later . . .  
  
Kagome groans as she wakes up. She slowly opens her eyes. 'I hurt.' She thinks. 'My body . . . '  
  
"Here, Kagome. Drink this."Someone, with a familiar voice, tells her. A cup is pressed against her lips.  
  
Kagome blinks and shakes her head refusing the drink. "No. Naraku." She sputters.  
  
"I'm not Naraku."  
  
Kagome's eyes focus. "Kouga!"  
  
Kouga, his face showing tremendous strain, nods. "Here, Kagome. Drink this. It's safe. It's just water."  
  
Kagome greedily drinks the cup of water. "You're free!" She spits out. "Free me!"  
  
Kouga grimaces, "I can't." HE whispers. His eyes flick to the entrance of the tent. "I shouldn't be in here. But, I wanted to talk to you."  
  
"But, but?" Kagome sputters. "Why?"  
  
"Why?" Naraku says as he enters the tent. Kanna and Kagura are trailing behind him. "Because, Kagome, if he doesn't do everything that I say, I will destroy the rest of his tribe."  
  
Kouga's shoulders slump. His tail drags the ground. "Damn you, Naraku."  
  
"You really should have asked to visit her, Kouga. I would have allowed it." Naraku replies. "As a matter of fact, I'll go ahead and give you a short time with her."  
  
"Why?" Kagome asks.  
  
Naraku smiles, "because it will give you some false hopes. And destroying those hopes will be enjoyable." He turns around and walks out, with Kanna following him. Kagura, after flashing a smile to Kouga, also leaves.  
  
"Kanna's watching." Kouga whispers.  
  
Kagome slumps. "I know." She whispers back. "He's got your tribe? How?"  
  
Kouga nods, glumly. "I was trying to find you."  
  
"Don't say it." Kagome interrupts. "I can guess the rest." She slumps. "My fault." She whispers.  
  
"No. It was my fault. I am their prince. I should have protected them better. I will protect them." Kouga whispers.  
  
"Everyone else?" Kagome whispers.  
  
"Captured. He had to heal them afterward. They fought until they were all unconscious and dying." His lips twist into a smile. "Even Inu-yasha."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"He's going to torture them to death in front of you." Kouga whispers. "That's why he saved their lives."  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath. "The village?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What about the human villagers?"  
  
"Oh, them." Kouga pauses. "The ones that are still alive are slaves. He used his mental powers to crush them. They all serve him."  
  
"Anybody else?"  
  
Kouga licks his lips and looks around. His eyes stare into Kagome. 'He's obviously trying to tell me something, what?' She thinks. 'Who can still be free?'  
  
"Are there any Tanuki demons around?" Kagome whispers. 'Hachi, Miroku's companion is a Tanuki demon. Maybe he is free and can do something.' She thinks. Kouga smiles. "Some."  
  
Kagome sighs softly. She licks her lips, "Kikyo?"  
  
Kouga swallows, "She's been promised Inu-yasha."  
  
Kagome takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Yes. I can see that."  
  
Naraku reenters the tent. "Time's up, Prince Kouga."  
  
Kouga spins, gives a low growl. Naraku's eyebrow rises. "There are still a couple of young pups that I haven't killed, yet, Kouga. Would you, perhaps, like to eat them for breakfast tomorrow?"  
  
"Damn you." Kouga whispers. He falls, heavily to both knees. "Lord Naraku." He bows his head to him.  
  
Naraku walks up to Kouga. He places his hand on his head and plays with his hair. He smiles at kagome. "Teaching proper respect is such fun, wouldn't you agree?"  
  
Kagome stares at Naraku. "Kouga. I forgive you. No matter what you might have done, or will do." She states in a regal tone, borrowed from Sesshomaru.  
  
Naraku nods to Kagome. 'She's grown. Making her mine will be harder than I thought. But, I will succeed.' He thinks. He removes his hand from Kouga's head. "Bring our guests to stakes that have been prepared, Kouga. I will be along shortly."  
  
Kouga slowly stands up, and after a quick glance at Kagome, he leaves.  
  
Naraku looking at Kouga. "You know, my dear, Kagura has been dragging him into her bed. He, of course, always protests, but, I wonder."  
  
"I am not your dear."  
  
"You will be." Naraku smiles . . .  
  
Later . . .  
  
'The poor village.' Kagome thinks as she is carried out of the tent.  
  
Keade's village has been destroyed. Ruined or burned out building are that remains. Human bones are liberally scattered over the ground. Kagome can see rats and other scavengers running around out of the corner of her eyes.  
  
'They died because of me.' She thinks. 'If I wasn't here, this wouldn't have happened. How much do I owe the survivors?'  
  
A rat sticks his head out of an eye socket of a young human skull.  
  
'Who was that? Whoever it was, I played with them.' Kagome thinks as she watches one of the demons following her step on the skull crushing it, and killing the rat. 'Revenge is bad. I know that. But, I will punish Naraku and all that follow him.'  
  
Kagome is tied up with metal chains. She is covered in spell scrolls. Around her, about half-a-dozen lesser demons are chanting spells, designed to prevent her from using her powers.  
  
She is brought to one of the fields on the edge of town. In the field, large stakes have been driven into the ground. Tied up, with metal chains, and covered in spell scrolls, are inu-yasha, Sesshomaru, Sango, Miroku, Keade and Kirara.  
  
"Inu-yasha! Sesshomaru! Sango! Miroku! Keade! Kirara!" Kagome calls out as she sees them.  
  
They cannot answer. Gags are in their mouths.  
  
Off to one side, facing the stakes is a covered area. Carpets have been laid out on the ground. Sitting on a large stool, is Naraku. He is dressed in very fancy robes. The Jewel of the Four souls is hanging around his neck.  
  
Next to him, on his left, is Kikyo. She is standing, her hands behind her back. She is dressed in her normal clothes, and appears to be ignoring everything around her.  
  
"Place her to my right." Naraku waves. A stake has been planted next to him.  
  
Surrounding him is a huge group of various demons, demon lord, and other nameless creatures. They are all looking at either her friends or her. They are all nodding they've approval of what is about to happen.  
  
Surrounding the field are more demons. Some of them are flying above the field. These demons look like lesser, weaker, common demons. They are all chanting. "Death. Death. Death."  
  
Kagome shivers.  
  
She can see a few humans walking between the demons, they all have trays with either food or drink on them. Naraku is forcing the survivors of the village to serve their conquerors. She can hear, in the distance, screams as some of the demons have decided that they've waited long enough . . . They are torturing and killing some of the survivors for fun.  
  
Kagome is placed, roughly, she can feel blood flow from the scratches from the claws of demons that are moving her around. 'The spell scrolls, the chanting. I can't break them.' She thinks.  
  
After a couple of minutes, Naraku stands. That is a signal for . . .  
  
Silence . . .  
  
Naraku speaks, his voice magically enhanced so all can hear, "Kagura, Kouga stand in front of me. I wish to reward you."  
  
Kagura and Kouga, they both had been semi-hidden in the crowd next the Inu- yasha and the rest, walk toward Naraku.  
  
They stop in front of Naraku.  
  
Kagome's eyes flick to one of the humans near her. 'I thought I recognized him, no, her? But the dirt, the clothes, if I could see her face, than I'd know her.' She grimaces, 'but, if I knew who she was, won't I feel even more depressed?'  
  
"Kagura." Naraku begins. "Kouga." He nods to both of them.  
  
They nod to him.  
  
Naraku waves to one side. A huge Oni throws a tied up Tanuki demons at the feet of Kagura and Kouga.  
  
Naraku smiles, "your plan to free my captives won't work."  
  
Both Kagura and Kouga faces go blank from shock.  
  
"I had expected treachery from Kouga. But, you, Kagura? Your lust for Sesshomaru will be your death."  
  
Kagura pulls out her fan . . . then crumples to the ground. Her heart flies into Naraku's hand.  
  
Kouga freezes as a beam from The Jewel strikes him. "You will join your friends, tonight, Kouga. Along with your friend Hachi." Naraku nods to the tied up Tanuki Demon. Who is, of course, Miroku's friend/companion.  
  
Kagome slumps in her chains. 'Kagura was a surprise, but I thought for sure . . . ' she thinks. Tears fill her eyes. 'Unless he makes a mistake that was the last chance. And he hasn't made any . . . '  
  
Naraku looks out to the crowd of Demons. He holds up Kagura's heart, and shouts, "Let the torture begin!" The demons shout, "YES! Death! Death!"  
  
The ground shakes . . .  
  
"NO!" a shout from outside the field is heard.  
  
A small path is made as the demons on either side move to one side.  
  
A short human walks into the field.  
  
"I will not allow you to kill my granddaughter or her friends!" Kagome's Grandfather, dressed in the traditional costume of a Shinto priest, stands in the middle of the field.  
  
The end . . .  
  
How many times has he saved the day?  
  
Authors' note: Due to scheduling problems, I will probably not be able to post on Thurs. this week. I should, I hope to be able to post on Fri. (and then Sunday like normal.) And, yes, I did not post on July 4th, since it was a holiday, I took the day off.  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	9. naraku part 2

Kagome's Return chapter 8 Naraku part 2  
  
Character deaths will occur. Kagura is already dead. And more will happen. You are warned.

* * *

On the other side of the well . . .  
  
Shippo looks at Sota and says, "Are you sure about those stories that you've been telling me?"  
  
Sota nods. "Yep. Once I recognized Akane's name, I started asking about Furniken high and the odd students that go there. And, whenever she'd come over, I'd ask her or her boyfriend, Ranma, to tell me stories. He'd do anything that might lead to a cure for his curse."  
  
Shippo smiles. He changes into a young human boy. Then, a few seconds later, into a young human girl. "How's this?"  
  
"Your tail." Rin mentions as she joins the conversation.  
  
Shippo purses his lips. "I can hide it under some clothes. It's uncomfortable doing that, but, that'll work."  
  
"Yeah, that should work." Sota agrees with Shippo. Rin nods her agreement.  
  
Shippo smiles. "And now, watch me turn on the charm. After I'm finished spinning my story, Akane and her friends will be here, and doing everything that they can to open the well. With their help, we'll get through the well and help Kagome."  
  
Sota and Rin nod. "The Tree won't answer us." Rin whispers. "And it won't let us through."  
  
Shippo picks up the phone. "This is how this machine works, right?"  
  
"Let me." Sota moves over and starts to dial the phone.  
  
"Shippo? Are you going to stay a girl?" Rin asks.  
  
"Huh?" Shippo shakes his head, no, and changes back into his normal shape.  
  
Rin slumps. "I wanted a sister . . . " She whispers.  
  
Sota looks at Rin. "I like him better as a boy."  
  
"Hey! I'm a Kitsune!" Shippo interrupts the two of them.  
  
"Hello! Tendo residence!" Tendo Kasumi answers the phone.  
  
"Shush." Shippo whispers to Sota and Rin, and then he begins to speak to Kasumi . . .  
  
Back to the other side of the well, but, from Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru and the others POV.  
  
'Come on, Kouga.' Inu-yasha thinks. 'He whispered to us that he had a plan. Hurry up!'  
  
Naraku speaks, his voice magically enhanced so all can hear, "Kagura, Kouga stand in front of me. I wish to reward you."  
  
Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru and the others exchange glances. 'I hope everything is working,' Miroku thinks, 'Kouga whispered that Kagura was to free his people, so he could fight.'  
  
Kagura and Kouga, they both had been semi-hidden in the crowd next the Inu- yasha and the rest, walk toward Naraku.  
  
They stop in front of Naraku.  
  
"Kagura." Naraku begins. "Kouga." He nods to both of them.  
  
They nod to him.  
  
Naraku waves to one side. A huge Oni throws a tied up Tanuki demons at the feet of Kagura and Kouga.  
  
Naraku smiles, "your plan to free my captives won't work."  
  
Even though her gag, Sango moans. 'He found out!'  
  
Sesshomaru glares at Kanna, who is hiding behind Naraku and Kagome. 'She is dangerous. Perhaps more dangerous than Naraku. Her mirror and its powers . . . I wonder if even Naraku knows all that it can do?'  
  
Both Kagura and Kouga faces go blank from shock.  
  
"I had expected treachery from, you, Kouga. But, you, Kagura? Your lust for Sesshomaru will be your death."  
  
Kagura pulls out her fan . . . then crumples to the ground. Her heart flies into Naraku's hand.  
  
Kouga freezes as a beam from The Jewel strikes him. "You will join your friends, tonight, Kouga. Along with your friend Hachi." Naraku nods to the tied up Tanuki Demon. Who is, of course, Miroku's friend/companion.  
  
'Hachi.' Keade thinks, 'I had hopes that he could have escaped notice. He normally does. But, if Naraku has him . . . There is no hope. Naraku, as he was moving us, never made a mistake. So, none of us can escape.'  
  
Naraku looks out to the crowd of Demons. He holds up Kagura's heart, and shouts, "Let the torture begin!"  
  
'He'll remove the gags. He wants us to scream.' Sesshomaru thinks as he looks over the crowd of demons. 'I know many of these demons. Do I offer them something? No. If they are here, now, with Naraku, then I will not trust them. And begging them for help, turns my stomach.'  
  
Sango thinks, as she scans the crowd, 'I will not give these scum any satisfaction. No matter what, I will not open my mouth. Except to curse Naraku. If the jewel is complete, my brother is dead. What more do I have to live for?'  
  
Keade thinks, 'My body is old. Perhaps . . . yes, I can control my body, and my heart. Tonight is not how I wanted to die. But, sometimes you do not have a choice.'  
  
Kirara thinks, 'One claw. All I need is one claw free. Please, my ancestors, hear this prayer, let me be free tonight . . . and I promise you blood . . . blood enough to drown in.'  
  
Miroku thinks, 'pain is fleeting. I will not feel it. Tonight . . . I will be free of my curse.'  
  
Inu-yasha thinks, 'I will kill Naraku! I will get free! These chains will not hold me!' his chains rattle as he twists . . .  
  
The demons shout, "YES! Death! Death!"  
  
The ground shakes . . .  
  
"NO!" a shout from outside the field is heard.  
  
A small path is made as the demons on either side move to one side.  
  
A short human walks into the field.  
  
"I will not allow you to kill my granddaughter or her friends!" Kagome's Grandfather, dressed in the traditional costume of a Shinto priest, stands in the middle of the field . . .  
  
Naraku looks at Kagome.  
  
Kagome is staining, mightily, to try to free herself. Tears are beginning to form in her eyes. Naraku wiggles his fingers and the gag flies from Kagome's mouth.  
  
"Grandfather! No!" She screams. "Run!" she starts to cry, as tears run down her cheeks . . .  
  
Naraku smiles. He looks at the old human in the middle of the field. "And how do you plan on stopping me?" he purrs. 'I do not sense any power from him.'  
  
Kagome's grandfather, swallows hard, as he scans the crowd, 'I moved too quickly. I should have waited longer. I don't see her.' His hand under his baggy clothes tightens on the pistol grip. 'But, now, I know why the God Tree told me to bring Sota's toy.'  
  
"Monster." Kagome's grandfather states. "I've tried to protect my granddaughter, ever since she began her quest. Tonight, I finally have the opportunity to do so."  
  
"Admirable, old man, I'm sure," Naraku replies. "But, you have no power." He smiles. He waves his hand at some of the demons standing nearby. "Capture him. And that means alive."  
  
He nods to Kagome. "Since he is your grandfather, I'll let you decide. Do I start with him or do I finish with him?"  
  
"Neither!" Kagome screams. "I will get free, Naraku, you monster!"  
  
The demons, some small oni's, saunter toward Kagome's grandfather. They, obviously, see that he is no threat.  
  
Kagome's Grandfather pulls out a water-pistol. (One of Sota's favorite toys.) He points it at Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru and the others and begins to spray them with water. "I win!" He yells!  
  
Naraku's eyes open wide. He starts to laugh. "You expect that to work? That's only water!"  
  
SNAP! SNAP!  
  
"Water that is ruining the writing on those spell scrolls." Kagome's Grandfather says, as he smiles.  
  
"DIE!" Inu-yasha yells as he rips the chains off his body.  
  
Sesshomaru rips his chains off, "Where is Tokijin?" He calls. 'I cannot sense it, or the others.' He thinks.  
  
Kirara grows larger, breaking the chains.  
  
Sango breaks her chains, holding onto them. 'Naraku broke my boomerang in front of me earlier. He will die tonight by my hands.' She thinks, as she begins to twirl the chains.  
  
'I need someone to free me. I don't have the strength to break these chains.' Miroku thinks. 'Perhaps, though, I can shift them enough, so my well-trained fingers can free me?' he begins to squirm in his chains.  
  
'We might win.' Keade thinks. Hope appears her eyes.  
  
Naraku holds up the Jewel and an iridescent semi-visible barrier springs up between him and Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru, Kirara and Sango, all of whom are jumping at him.  
  
Kirara's claws give off an unearthly screech as Kirara slowly slides down the barrier, along with the others.  
  
The small oni's that were ordered to capture Kagome's grandfather, quickly vanish. (They are not, repeat not, staying anywhere near a free Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru, Sango and Kirara . . . )  
  
Kouga, unparalyzed since Naraku is concentrating on others, leaps at him, roaring his tribe's battle cry.  
  
The chair that Naraku was sitting on changes shape. It is one of his puppets, disguised. The puppet's tentacles flip out and capture Kouga. He begins to chew them with his fangs and rip at them with his claws.  
  
Naraku surveys the scene, as the group shakes off the stunned feeling caused by hitting his barrier. He thinks, 'None of the other demons are moving.' He grits his teeth. 'They are not going to help me. If I win, they'll obey me, maybe. If I lose, they'll vanish, and when Sesshomaru comes by to demand an explanation, they'll lie to him.'  
  
He glances at Kikyo. Kikyo raises an eyebrow, but doesn't move. 'If I hand her Inu-yasha, she'll help, maybe. But, otherwise, nothing.' He glances at Kanna. Kanna stares back, without emotion.  
  
Naraku holds back a groan, as he feels something sap his power, and whips his head around to look at Kagome.  
  
Kagome is straining to get free herself. Sparks of power of running up and down her body, arcing from chain to chain. Naraku can hear her teeth grind and the emotion shining in her eyes causes him to step away from her.  
  
"Again!" Sesshomaru yells. "He can't maintain this barrier against all of us!" He attacks the barrier, again. Inu-yasha, Kirara and Sango instantly join him.  
  
The barrier moans. Light flickers up and down it.  
  
Sweat forms on Naraku's brow. He growls. "Fine. If this is how you want it." He glares at the assembled demons. "Remember this night. Remember my power and know fear."  
  
He waves his hand . . . the barrier vanishes.  
  
Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha, Sango and Kirara, all stumble, for a second, as the wall that they were fighting vanishes.  
  
"I had prepared for this." Naraku hisses. His fingers writhe.  
  
Something, feather light, touches the necks of Sango, Kirara, Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru's eyes open. His right hand flashes into his hair.  
  
The small spider-demons hidden in their hair bites . . .  
  
"Remove your hand from your hair, Sesshomaru, without, of course, touching my spider." Naraku smiles, as he orders Sesshomaru.  
  
All four of them are standing, stock still, in the middle of the field.  
  
Sweat begins to form on Sango's brow. 'I can't move! I've got to fight him! I will not die like this!' she thinks.  
  
Kirara's fur stands on end. 'I must break his hold.'  
  
Inu-yasha's hand slowly, painfully, forms a fist. 'I will kill him!' A low, hard growl is heard from his throat.  
  
Sesshomaru's hand slowly leaves his hair. But, his other hand is also slowly moving upward. His mouth slowly begins to form words, "You cannot control all of us for long."  
  
The sweat on Naraku's forehead begins to drip onto his fancy silk clothes. He thinks, 'he's right. I can't. Something has caused Sesshomaru's mental defenses to be much stronger than I thought. I can control him, but then, I lose the others. Or I can control the others, but lose him.'  
  
Miroku's chains, suddenly, start fall from him. Kagome's grandfather stands, revealed, behind him. Miroku rips his gag out of his mouth and begins to chant. 'This spell should disrupt Naraku's control. It won't free them, by itself, but, since their fighting that control, it should help them.' He thinks.  
  
Naraku groans. 'I'm losing . . . ' he thinks.  
  
Kikyo hisses a spell.  
  
Miroku's chains suddenly wrap around him. His gag flies into his mouth.  
  
"You owe me." Kikyo smiles at Naraku.  
  
"Occupy Sesshomaru." Naraku growls, as he nods. Kikyo's smile grows. She nods back and begins to chant.  
  
"Sleep!" Naraku orders Inu-yasha, Kirara and Sango. All three sway and wobble for a few seconds . . . but their eyes roll up and they fall limply to the ground. 'I still need them alive, to torture in front of Kagome.' he thinks.  
  
Sesshomaru, momentarily free, begins to run, fast, toward Kagome. 'Free her and the two of us can beat him.' He thinks.  
  
A mass of gangrene green tentacles spring from the ground under Sesshomaru's feet, tangling them up, and stopping him.  
  
"Sister! Stop!" Keade yells as Kagome' grandfather removes her gag. She begins to chant.  
  
The chains around Kagome shudder and twist, as Keade's spell begins to work on them.  
  
"Die!" Naraku yells as he points at Keade. A black lightning bolt leaves his finger. 'That attack! I can't allow anything to free Kagome.' he thinks.  
  
Keade's manages a gurgling scream as her head melts.  
  
Time stops . . .  
  
Kagome's Grandfather looks into Naraku's eyes. 'All my life, I've been a coward. Tonight, though, I'll die like a man.' is his instantaneous thought.  
  
He stands up straight and proud.  
  
"You two, old man." Naraku hisses as another black lightning bolt leaves his fingertip.  
  
"NO!!" Kagome screams as she watches her grandfather die . . .  
  
Naraku smiles at Kagome. "I can, of course, raise him from the dead, just as I did Sango's brother. Shall I?"  
  
Kagome glares at Naraku. Death is in her eyes.  
  
"Ugghh!" kikyo moans.  
  
Naraku looks around, ignoring Kagome.  
  
Sesshomaru has almost ripped up all of her tentacles, and Kouga has, also, almost beat the puppet into pieces.  
  
Naraku pulls out what looks like a ball of string from his clothes. He throws the ball at Sesshomaru. In the air, the ball expands and changes into a huge, massively strong spiderweb.  
  
It lands on Sesshomaru, engulfing him in it, freezing him in place. "Even if my mind control didn't work. I had something planned, Sesshomaru-chan." Naraku purrs.  
  
All the demons around the field, all of whom, have been intensely interested in this fight, take in a deep breath. Nobody, nobody has called the lord of the western lands, Sesshomaru-chan, especially as an overt insult, in years.  
  
Sesshomaru stops his struggles with the web for a second. He says, in the coldest voice anyone as ever heard, "When you die, Naraku, I will hunt down your soul, in whatever hell it descends to. What I will do with it, then, will make demons and humans shudder in terror for the rest of time." Sesshomaru looks around, looking for something . . .  
  
Naraku smiles, "how? Oh, you might, given time, free yourself from that web. It will even prevent you from changing into your giant dog shape, by the way. I've got things under control, however."  
  
His smile grows, "I had a dream, last night, in that dream, I saw myself destroying your family swords, even the other blades that you and Kagome were wearing. Which is what you're looking for, I'm sure. Right now, they are on their way to Mt Fuji. Where they will be taken to the still, molten core of the mountain and cast into its fiery depths, destroying them."  
  
Sesshomaru's eyes harden, he still glances around, looking for something, or perhaps someone, but he says, "Tenseiga, or Tetsusaiga, even Tokijin and Jaa Kalpa help, Naraku, but, I am, Kagome is, even Inu-yasha is more than a person that wields a magic sword."  
  
Naraku eyes narrow, he thinks, 'why is he talking to me? What or is it who . . . is he looking for?' "DIE! Naraku!" Kouga screams as he, finally crushes the controlling puppet. The tentacles that have been holding him vanish. He shoves those tentacles off him.  
  
Naraku growls. "Sleep!" he points to Kouga.  
  
Kouga holds up the squashed spider-demon. "I've killed it, Naraku and your next!" he yells  
  
AN unearthly, and horrible soul-rending, scream is heard across the field. It literally stops everyone in place, including Kouga.  
  
The scream comes from Kanna. At her feet is a broken mirror. Another, unhurt mirror is in her hand.  
  
"I think not." Naraku states. "That was one of the souls of one of your people, prince Kouga, dying. Forever. That soul is shattered beyond repair. Obey me." He orders.  
  
Kouga slumps as his eyes focus on the mirror in Kanna's hand. 'If I still had the speed that shards gave me, maybe. But, without them, I'm not fast enough.'  
  
Kagome tenses her arms and legs, trying to break the chains. 'Some movement in them. My hands are free, but I can't touch anything important. He's been too busy to notice, but, not enough.' She thinks.  
  
Her eyes flick around, and she sees the person the Sesshomaru is looking for. She instantly looks away. 'I won't look at her. If I do, Naraku will notice and spot her. But what does she think that she can do?'  
  
Kouga's eyes flick to Kagome.  
  
She licks her lips and says, "I'll forgive you, no matter what, Kouga."  
  
Kouga straightens up, standing tall. He scans the crowd of demons, watching him and Naraku. 'Fools and cowards. We are fighting for their amusement.' He thinks.  
  
"On your belly, Kouga." Naraku orders.  
  
Kouga looks down at his right hand. He spreads out his fingers, lengthening his claws. "No. Naraku. I am going to remove any reason for you to threaten my clan."  
  
Naraku laughs, "ha! Ha! And how will you do that, Kouga? As long as they're alive, you must follow my orders."  
  
Kouga bites his lips. He growls, "And If I'm dead? You have no reason to oppress them."  
  
A timeless pause covers the field. Wind, softly, mummers through the demons.  
  
"The most powerful attack that a Demon prince has," Kouga growls. "His dying curse."  
  
Naraku draws in a deep breath and begins to chant, trying to come up with a defensive spell.  
  
Kagome, tears falling from her eyes, wordlessly moans, "nnnooo!"  
  
Kouga shoves his hand into his body, ignoring the pain, and fighting to stay conscious, as he rips out his own heart.  
  
It beats, pumping blood, in the palm of his hand, as he holds it above his head.  
  
"My dying curse, Naraku." Kouga begins, as blood spills through his lips. "I curse thee, Naraku. When Thy die, Thy soul will be reborn into the rat, thy are. My clan will feast upon thee, and this shall happen, time after time, until the end of time."  
  
Kouga falls face first to ground. His heart, still at last, rolls from his fist . . .  
  
"All that for nothing." Naraku smiles. "I shall not die! Kouga! And, even if I do, I will destroy your clan before I do so. IF they are all dead, your curse means nothing."  
  
Sesshomaru coldly states, "You will die tonight, Naraku. I will see to that. And, Prince Kouga's curse is wise. For it will work, and the power of a dying demon prince means that it will, his people will live and your continuously reborn soul, will provide them with the food they need. He was a wise prince and I honor him for that."  
  
Naraku frowns. 'What is he up to? Sesshomaru would never praise anyone. Is he trying to distract me?' he thinks.  
  
CLICK  
  
Time freezes . . .  
  
Bullets begin to hit Naraku's back.  
  
Kagome s' mother, who has been using the confusion of the fight to move close to Kagome, opens fire with Kagome's submachine gun.  
  
'No battle cries. No warning. I want him dead.' She thinks.  
  
She brings the submachine gun up from under her large cloak and begins to fire. She is dressed like the villagers, and she had been pretending to be one, as she moved closer and closer to Kagome.  
  
'IF only father had waited until I was closer to Kagome. Then, I could have done it simultaneously with him. But, he moved too quickly.' She thinks.  
  
Naraku twists under the impact of the bullets. His body begins to change shape. As the body changes, it heals, at least some, of the damage from the bullets.  
  
His arms and legs begin to change shape, into long thin spidery limbs. His head and body changes, his clothes split.  
  
He is changing into a huge giant spider. "These aren't magic!" he screams. "They can hurt me! But not kill me!"  
  
Mrs. H takes a deep breath. She removes one hand from the gun. Her remaining hand isn't strong enough to keep the gun on target. But, that, actually helps her. Kanna and Kikyo were about to move against her. But, the random bullets force them to fall on the ground.  
  
Her free hand reaches into a pocket. She pulls out something, small enough to be concealed in her fist.  
  
She throws it to Kagome.  
  
A large acorn flies toward Kagome. "He said that. He apologizes and wishes your forgiveness!" Mrs. H cries.  
  
Somehow, Kagome manages to move her left hand far enough that she, barely catches the acorn.  
  
The submachine gun stops firing. Mrs. H has run out of bullets.  
  
"Human." Naraku's voice, somehow it still sounds normal, even though he's a giant spider, says. "I will feed on your blood."  
  
The giant spider, that is Naraku, walks toward Mrs. H.  
  
'I've got to give Kagome time.' Mrs. H thinks. She spins and begins to run.  
  
"Run! Human! I enjoy the chase!" Naraku rushes past Kagome.  
  
Kagome's head cannot turn far enough to see what is happening.  
  
Mrs. H screams in agony . . .  
  
A scream that ends when Kagome hears sucking sounds . . .  
  
"NO!" Kagome screams. She looks at the acorn.  
  
'No choice. It's this or nothing . . . ' She thinks.  
  
Kagome opens her mouth and flips the acorn in it.  
  
She swallows and feels the hard acorn go down her throat.  
  
Kagome begins to glow . . .  
  
"What did you do!" Naraku screams from behind her.  
  
The end . . .  
  
On the other side of the well, earlier.  
  
"What about the children?" Kagome's grandfather asks, as he and his daughter stand on the edge of the well.  
  
"I've called Kagome's friends. They know enough to help. They'll be over in a little while." His daughter replies. "They'll pretend to be watching Kagome."  
  
"And if we don't return?"  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Kimiko?"  
  
"They are strong children. They'll survive." Kagome's mother whispers, "But, for once, we have a chance to help Kagome. Can we ignore that? Shouldn't we, at least, try to help her?"  
  
Kagome's grandfather nods. He swallows. "I need to use the bathroom." He whispers.  
  
His daughter puts her hand on his shoulder. "Be strong, father. Remember all the times when you've fearlessly placed those spell scrolls on Inu- yasha. Just do that again."  
  
He nods. "I just wish I knew why the God Tree told us to bring Sota's water- pistol?" he whispers.  
  
"He's a god. He's supposed to know things." She replies. "But, if it's just a whim, or a joke, he'll get an earful from me."  
  
Mrs. h adjusts the submachine gun that they found in Kagome's backpack. "Let's do it, father."  
  
He nods.  
  
They jump into the well.

* * *

Authors' note: a lot of deaths in this chapter . . . smile. And no magic sword to bring them back to life, either . . .  
  
I should post the next chapter on Sunday, but it will be later than normal.  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	10. Rebirth of Kagome

Kagome's return chapter 9  
  
the rebirth of Kagome . . .  
  
Elsewhere:  
  
Four oni's are walking down a forested path. Mt Fuji is directly in front of them.  
  
"Are you sure that you know where to go?" one of them asks.  
  
"I do, asshole." Another replies. "I've been here before. Some damned human wizard wanted to sacrifice a human girl to the god of MT fuji, and I carried the girl."  
  
"Good." A pause. "Hey guys, You know these swords that we're carrying for Naraku?" the third asks.  
  
"Yeah. So, what?" the fourth says.  
  
The third one says, "I don't know. But, I think that they're talking to each other. I'm hearing something." His voice trials off.  
  
"Look without Sesshomaru or Inu-yasha. These are just normal swords." The second oni says. "Nothing to worry . . . " his voice trails off.  
  
He reaches for the sword on his back. He pulls the blade and shoves it into his stomach and cuts upward also slicing him in half.  
  
"Boss!" the first one yells. Then his face changes, becoming horrified as his hand reaches for the sword that he is carrying. "No. please. No. I want to live." He mumbles as the edge of the blade approaches his throat. A gurgling scream occurs as he slices his throat open.  
  
The fourth oni looks at the hilt of the sword that is around his waist. He reaches down, grabs the sword and starts to throw it away. He doesn't. He grabs the hilt. "no!" the blade pulses black. The oni collapses to the ground, and his body looks like an accordion as it is adsorbed into the sword.  
  
The third oni, after a few minutes of standing stock still, shakes himself. He, then, goes around and picks up the other three swords.  
  
He starts to walk away from mt. fuji.  
  
"Can you make him go faster?" Tetsusaiga asks.  
  
Tenseiga replies. "Let me examine his powers. I think that this type of oni has some flying abilities. I'll see if I can start them."  
  
"Hurry up. I can feel that things are happening back where we should be." Tokijin replies.  
  
"I'm going as fast as I can." Tenseiga replies. "But be quiet. Its brain isn't all that bright, and it's hard to get it to work."  
  
"What about that flying?" Jaa Kalpa asks.  
  
"Yes. I think I've got it." Tenseiga says.  
  
The oni, stops, then runs and jumps. He falls to the ground.  
  
"Oops . . . that didn't work." Tenseiga says. "Let's see about this."  
  
The oni runs and jumps . . . and slowly, and somewhat erratically, begins to fly.  
  
He starts to fly at a faster and faster pace.  
  
"Hurry up." Tetsusaiga says. "They need us."  
  
Back at the village, and the field where the fight with Naraku is occurring.  
  
Let's reset the scene.  
  
Surrounding the field is a mass of various demons. Naraku invited them to watch the deaths of Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha, Sango, Miroku and the others.  
  
On one side of the field is an area that was prepared for special visitors. In it is various chairs, and other special places to sit.  
  
(Nobody is sitting down, right now. Not only is the fight entertaining the demons . . . but, sitting on a chair, provided by Naraku, after watching one of them turn into one of his puppets . . . is making most of these powerful demons think twice about sitting down on their chairs, again . . . )  
  
All of the demons are pushing and shoving each other, trying to view the fight. They all want a ringside seat.  
  
In the middle of the field is a row of large stakes. Chains, and pieces of chains surround most of the stakes. Keade's body, with Kagome's grandfather's body close by, lies near one stake.  
  
Miroku is gagged and chained to another stake. He is awake, basically unhurt, and is trying mightily to escape.  
  
Tied up, in chains, in front of the stakes is Hachi, Miroku's Tanuki companion.  
  
Near the special viewing area is Kagura dead body. And near it, is Kouga's dead body, his heart lays beside him.  
  
About half way between the special viewing area and the stakes, lays the unconscious bodies of Inu-yasha, Sango, and Kirara.  
  
Near the special viewing area, Kagome is staked down. Chains, with spell scrolls on them, cover her. She has taken advantage of Naraku's distraction and loosened her chains, but not enough to free herself.  
  
Near her is a huge spider web. In the center of it is Sesshomaru. He is ripping the web to pieces. But, it's not going fast. He will free himself, but, it will just take time.  
  
Directly in front of the special viewing area are Kikyo and Kanna. They are standing up, brushing the dirt off themselves, from when they hit the ground to avoid Mrs. h's bullets.  
  
Behind Kagome, where she cannot see, and in the middle of the rapidly thinning crowd of demons, is Naraku. He is in the shape of a giant spider. Dangling, limply, from his fangs is Kagome's mother.  
  
Kagome is glowing.  
  
She can feel the acorn inside of her break open and the power within it spread throughout her body.  
  
"Shield spells!" Naraku orders. The volume of his command echoes to the next village and beyond. "Everyone put up some barriers around her! I want her contained!"  
  
"Do it!" several of the demon lords that had come to watch the execution yell to their servants.  
  
The demons begin to chant . . . quickly. They know that their lives depend on it.  
  
Kikyo hisses her shield spell, which surrounds her body only.  
  
Kanna bends down and tries to hide behind her mirror, as she magically expands the mirror.  
  
The spell scrolls on the chains holding Kagome vanish into ash . . .  
  
The chains holding chain melt, like butter, and flow down her skin and to the ground.  
  
The stake holding her upright vanishes . . .  
  
Multicolored barriers form around Kagome. Some are domes, some are walls, some have different shapes . . .  
  
Kagome's mouth opens . . .  
  
A raw scream of agony leaves her mouth as the power of the acorn changes her body . . . forever.  
  
A pulse of power leaves her body.  
  
It hits the first barrier and crumples it like cardboard. The demon lord that made it screams as the feedback from the spell destructions hits him.  
  
Another barrier collapses, another demonlord screams as the pulse expands.  
  
A second pulse of power leaves Kagome's body. Even for demons that can look at the sun, unharmed, can't see her as the brightness of the power pulses increases.  
  
The barriers surrounding Kagome scream and moan. Noises, unheard of, unimaginable noises, are created as the barriers are shattered, one by one.  
  
"NO!" Naraku screams as the last barrier containing Kagome shatters.  
  
Kagome's natural purification powers, multiplied by the power of the acorn, and supercharged, even further, by her anger at the deaths of her mother, her grandfather, Keade, Kouga, even Kagura cover the field and the village in a wave of power.  
  
Demons die, vanish, return to the depths of hell.  
  
In a fraction of a second, Kagome destroys many of the demons that plague Japan. And those that are powerful enough to create a barrier against her, will be permanently crippled from the strain.  
  
Her wave of power expands, even beyond the village. As it does so, it weakens, but, the purification wave still destroys many, many demons, throughout japan . . .  
  
As for Naraku?  
  
The glow of power surrounding Kagome fades, slowly. The area around her, instead of being filled with light, so bright that nothing is visible, slowly becomes visible.  
  
The area, the field in which the fight occurred, and Keade's village is gone.  
  
In its place is a grassy, peaceful, meadow. At the heart of the meadow, where Kagome was standing is a large, ten meters tall tree. Various people are standing around the meadow, the group and the human survivors of Keade's village, mainly.  
  
Kagome steps out of the tree. She is glowing, softly, giving light to the darkened field. (It is still night, remember.)  
  
She walks to a man, laying on the grass near the tree.  
  
"Onigumo." She says as she bends down next to the man. "The demon that was Naraku is destroyed. The smaller demons that joined with you to create Naraku are destroyed."  
  
The man that she is kneeling next to is badly hurt. Third degree burns cover most of his body. Kagome can see the blood seep from cracks in the skin. As Onigumo breathes, his skin separates from his muscles.  
  
A bleeding eye looks at Kagome. The other eye is destroyed in its socket. "I'll will find more." He croaks out, and blood spits from his bleeding lips.  
  
His broken fingers stretch toward a small jewel, just bare centimeters from his grasp.  
  
Kagome, almost absentmindedly, picks up the blackened, but complete jewel of four souls. She rolls it between her fingers. She holds it above Onigumo's head, so he can see it.  
  
Her hand glows . . . the blackened jewel changes color becoming pure white.  
  
She places the jewel at her side. Her clothes shift revealing bare skin. The jewel vanishes inside her.  
  
"No, Onigumo. You will not find more." Kagome says. Her ears, and other senses, can hear and feel more people gathering around her, but she does not look away from Onigumo.  
  
"Part of me, Onigumo." Kagome begins as she reaches out and softly touches his skin. "Wants you to live like this for years. In continuous pain from your burns. Some of me even wants to add more pain to you."  
  
As she touches his skin, it cracks and breaks under her soft touch, causing him more pain and more bleeding. "If our positions were reversed, you would, no doubt, increase my pain and suffering. But, I am not you, Onigumo. I am, at least I hope I am, a good person." Kagome says.  
  
Something, perhaps hope, lights in Onigumo's remaining eye. "Heal me." He croaks.  
  
"I can." Kagome whispers in a quiet voice. "Easily. But, you've caused great evils to be done, Onigumo. And you should be punished for that."  
  
"What?" Onigumo whispers "next?"  
  
Kagome places her hand over his heart. "I will grant you more than you would have ever granted me. A calm, peaceful, painless end."  
  
Her hand glows. Onigumo's features changes, his broken and shattered face tries to smile. Even though his testicles were burned off, his burned manhood tries to raise as Kagome suppresses the nerves carrying pain to his brain, and stimulates his pleasure center.  
  
So, Onigumo, a man that by his actions caused thousands of deaths, many of them in very painful ways, dies, as Kagome overloads the part of his brain that gives him pleasure.  
  
Kagome closes her eyes, and tears begin to well up on the edges of them.  
  
A timeless pause, as Kagome kneels next to the dead body on the man that caused her some much pain.  
  
"My mother?" she whispers.  
  
A pause.  
  
"Answer me, please?" she whispers again.  
  
Shuffling, the sounds of people and clothes being shifted, like a group of people are looking at each other, trying to decide who will speak.  
  
"Dead. I think." Sango finally whispers.  
  
A tear, from Kagome's face as she stares at the ground, drops to the ground.  
  
The grass under her mother's body, lengthens, strengthens, and they begin to lift that body, and slowly, move it toward Kagome. The grass is responding to her unconscious use of her new powers.  
  
"My grand-, grandfather?" Kagome's voice cracks midway through her question.  
  
"He was braver than other human male that I've seen." Sesshomaru states.  
  
"Was . . . "Kagome whispers, as more tears fall to the ground.  
  
An owl hoots in the background. (It is still night.)  
  
"Kouga?"  
  
"He gave his life for his clan." Miroku states.  
  
"Keade?"  
  
"Dead." Inu-yasha says.  
  
"Kagura?"  
  
"She's dead as well." Inu-yasha replies.  
  
Another pause . . .  
  
"What happened?" Inu-yasha growls. "One second we were fighting Naraku's barrier, the next, I wake up and everything is changed."  
  
"I'll tell you, Inu-yasha, once I've figured it out, myself." Kagome whispers.  
  
She begins to sob, to cry. Her body heaves as she cries. Tears flow . . .  
  
Even through her tears, and sobbing, though, she can hear Sesshomaru start to move toward her, only to stop as Inu-yasha growls, deep in his chest. Kagome doesn't have to see them, to know that they are glaring at each other.  
  
"Get away from her to two stupid idiots." Sango's voice is raw with anger, pain and grief mixed together.  
  
Kagome can hear both Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru take a step back, an instinctive reaction to the emotion in Sango's eyes and voice.  
  
Sango kneels next of Kagome and gathers her into her arms. Kagome sobs and crying increases in volume as she cries into the shoulder of her best friend.  
  
Kirara, also, moves next to Kagome and brushes against Kagome's legs, purring gently.  
  
"If you two want to do something useful." Miroku begins, in a hard voice, very unlike his normal teasing tone. "Capture Kanna and Kikyo before they leave."  
  
Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha break off their glaring match and look around, finally.  
  
Except for the group gathered around Kagome, most of the field is bare, no one is there. The villagers have run off into the woods. (Hachi, Miroku's friend, has joined them, it's better to be safe, than sorry) They'll figure out what happened later . . .  
  
In the sky, above, a couple of the demon lords, powerful enough to protect themselves, and only themselves, are quickly flying away, badly hurt.  
  
On the ground, though, only Kanna and Kikyo are standing. Neither of them has left. They are close enough to hear, at least, some of the conversation that the group was just having.  
  
"I have no intention of leaving, just yet." Kikyo replies.  
  
Kanna nods in agreement to Kikyo.  
  
Inu-Yasha begins to walk toward Kikyo. Miroku, though, moves in his way.  
  
"Monk." Inu-yasha growls.  
  
"Let me talk to her, Inu-yasha." Miroku whispers back, "we need someone that can think around her. Not someone that can't."  
  
Inu-yasha's lips curl in an automatic growl, but he stops red-faced.  
  
Miroku walks about halfway to kikyo and Kanna. He half bows to them. "And what is your business here, may I ask?"  
  
"Inu-yasha, of course." Kikyo replies, as she smiles. "And this time, my reincarnation will give him to me."  
  
Miroku raises his eyebrow. "And how do you expect to do that, miko Kikyo?"  
  
"Because," Kikyo's smile grows, "I am heavily connected with death. I can see souls as they leave their bodies."  
  
Miroku nods in agreement. He thinks, 'probably. Her feeding on young souls would grant her such a power.'  
  
"I know where the souls of the old man and the woman with the weird weapon went." Kikyo pauses. "And they did not go to the same place as normal souls, but somewhere else."  
  
Sesshomaru appears standing next to Miroku, "Someone has them?"  
  
Kikyo's nods in his direction. "Just so, lord of the western lands."  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Miroku asks.  
  
"IF the souls are still here and nearby, not taken away like most souls upon death, then the bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather can be repaired and the souls returned to the bodies." Sesshomaru replies.  
  
"They can be brought back to life." Miroku whispers.  
  
Kikyo nods. "Of course, such knowledge isn't for free."  
  
Inu-yasha states, "you want me."  
  
Kikyo nods. "Of course. I'll create a portal to hell, and as we walk through it, I'll tell Kagome where to find her families souls."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
Inu-yasha steps toward Kikyo. "Fine. I agree."  
  
He thinks, 'if this is a way to bring Kagome's family back to life, I've got to it. No matter what the cost. She loves her family.'  
  
"No!" Kagome screams! She scrambles to her feet, only with the help of Sango. Sango continues to hold her up as they stumble to where Miroku, Inu- yasha and Sesshomaru are standing.  
  
Inu-yasha spins, "You heard that?"  
  
Kagome, her face puffy, red and tear-streaked, her bloodshot eyes full of tears, nods.  
  
"It's too late." Kikyo purrs. "He has agreed to my terms."  
  
"This is my family." Kagome says through her choked throat. "Anything about that, I decide. Not Inu-yasha, Not Sesshomaru. Me. Higurashi Kagome."  
  
kikyo raises her eyebrow, "very well, reincarnation. I will tell you where to find the souls of your family. And Inu-yasha will return, with me, to hell."  
  
A pause.  
  
She smiles. "Chose, inu-yasha can live or your family can live."  
  
Sesshomaru's acid whip forms. "There is a third choice, corpse. I can rip that knowledge from your broken body."  
  
"As much as I hate to agree with Lord Sesshomaru, that choice might be useful." Miroku states.  
  
Kagome can feel Sango's head nod in agreement with Miroku. "No" Kagome whispers. "There has too be a better way."  
  
Kikyo's eyebrow raises, "of course there is. I get inu-yasha, and both of us rest in peace and you get your family back, what could be better?"  
  
Kagome shakes her head, no. "I won't agree to that, this simply, Kikyo. I've seen too many agreements get twisted into something bad."  
  
Miroku nods. "Kikyo could always send us on a wild goose chase, and while we're gone, she and Inu-yasha will go to hell."  
  
"Kikyo won't do that." Inu-yasha growls.  
  
Sango, in a weary voice, states, "Inu-yasha, you are the only one that believes that."  
  
Inu-yasha looks around at the group. Even Kagome won't meet his eye. He looks at kikyo. Kikyo, though, meets his gaze without hesitation.  
  
He grinds his jaws together. "Since, Kikyo will not send us on a wild goose chance." He begins, "There is no reason to doubt her. But. Something else might happen. And since this is supposed to bring Kagome's family back to life, I'm not going until that happens."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
Kikyo glares at the group. She nods, abruptly, yes. "Very well. I can wait. But, once Kagome's mother and grandfather are returned to life, Inu-yasha and I go to hell."  
  
Inu-yasha, wordlessly, nods, yes.  
  
Kikyo looks at Kagome.  
  
Kagome looks back at her. "I will not agree, Kikyo. There have been too many broken promises, too many dirty tricks."  
  
She looks at Inu-yasha. She closes her eyes, and tears begin to form, again. "But, if my mother and grandfather are brought back to life, I will owe you." She sighs, heavily. "I don't know if I'll owe you enough to stand back and watch you and Inu-yasha go to hell, but I might."  
  
A timeless pause . . .  
  
Kikyo nods. "I never expected to get even that much of a promise out of you, Kagome."  
  
"Where are they?" Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru growl that question at the same time.  
  
"The souls?" Kikyo smiles. "They vanished off in that direction." She points in the direction of the old well.  
  
Kagome looks in that direction. Her human eyes fade and something else takes their place, momentarily. "The God Tree on my side of the well. He had to allow them to use it. He grabbed their souls." She whispers.  
  
Earlier . . .  
  
Mrs. H and Kagome's grandfather are standing in front of the god tree.  
  
"Please let us through the well." They beg, in unison.  
  
"I will." The god tree replies. "But, I will place mystical chains around your souls. When you die, whenever and wherever that shall take place, your souls will come to me. And, I will use them to for my own purposes."  
  
"Our souls will be removed from the grand scheme of life?" Kagome's grandfather asks. "And never to be reborn?"  
  
"Yes." The god tree replies. "Sooner or later, I will use your souls to power my magic. Which will destroy them, totally and absolutely."  
  
A pause.  
  
"I agree." Mrs. H says as she stands in front of the god tree. "I feel, in my heart, that she'll need me. I must be there for her."  
  
Kagome's grandfather bites his lips. Then he nods, yes. He doesn't say a word. 'I know that I'm a coward, my daughter knows that I'm a coward. But, it's easier to say yes, then to say no, to a god.' He thinks.  
  
Back to Kagome and the group . . . "Let's go." Inu-yasha orders. "Who knows what that damn tree will do with them."  
  
Sesshomaru clears his throat. He flicks his acid whip toward Kanna. She has been quietly, and basically invisibly, watching and waiting, off to one side. "Kanna is still here." He states.  
  
Kanna nods, silently.  
  
"Why?" Kagome asks.  
  
Kanna points to Sango. She holds up her mirror. A face forms in it. The face of Sango's brother, Kohaku.  
  
He wordlessly begins to mouth words at Sango.  
  
Sango falls to her knees. Tears appear in her eyes. Kagome bends down, and wraps her arm around her friend.  
  
Miroku conceals his clenched fists in the sleeves of his robe. 'She has . . . ' he thinks.  
  
"You have the boy's soul." Sesshomaru states in his emotionless voice.  
  
Kanna nods. She points off into the woods.  
  
Sesshomaru looks in that direction. "His body is buried over there."  
  
"What does she want?" Sango whispers, her voice catching from her tears.  
  
A scroll appears in Kanna's hand. She flips it to Miroku.  
  
He opens it and reads it. His lips thin as he does so.  
  
"Well, monk?" Inu-yasha growls.  
  
"She wants us to promise not to attack her for anything that she's done while Naraku was alive. Whither we know about it now, or find out about it in the future."  
  
Sesshomaru's eyebrow raises, 'I wonder, what is she hiding?' he looks at Kanna. 'Almost anything would be my guess. And I'm sure that she's hiding something that most humans would consider horrible.'  
  
"That's it?" Sango asks.  
  
Miroku nods. "Basically. She does have the oath that she wants us to say written down. IT is very complex and complete."  
  
Sango takes a deep breath. "She's hiding something."  
  
Miroku nods. "In all likelihood."  
  
Sango hangs her head. "I agree. Anything to bring my brother back to life."  
  
Miroku looks at Kagome. Kagome thins her lips, but nods, a sharp crisp nod.  
  
Kanna half-bows to the group. Her mirror shifts.  
  
"Kohaku!" Sango moans, as her brother's face vanishes. .  
  
Kagome squeezes her shoulders. "He's still in the mirror, Sango. I can sense that."  
  
Sango looks at Kagome. She whispers, "can you take him out of the mirror?"  
  
"Against Kanna's will?" Kagome whispers back.  
  
Sango nods.  
  
Kagome looks at Kanna and her mirror. "Yes. But, she'll know, and she might destroy his soul, before I could free it, Sango. She knows that mirror and its powers better than I do."  
  
Sango slumps.  
  
"Let's bring Kohaku back to life, next." Miroku states  
  
At the same that, Inu-yasha states. "Let's go and get the souls from the damned tree."  
  
Miroku and Inu-yasha glare at each other. "Since the souls would have to through the well, and that might cause problems. It is best if we." Sesshomaru begins.  
  
"Why the fuck do you care?" Inu-yasha growls. "Why are you still here, anyway?"  
  
Silence as Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru glare at each other.  
  
"There are two major reasons that this Sesshomaru is still here, little brother." Sesshomaru begins. "One is that Rin is still on the other side of that well."  
  
Sango and Miroku nod. Both of them, though, out of the corner of their eyes see Kagome begin to blush. They turn to look at her.  
  
"And the other." Inu-yasha growls. His hands are curled into fists, and the pressure that he is applying has turned them white.  
  
"Later!" Kagome cries. Tears begins to drip down her cheeks again. "Later, please, both of you. I want . . . I want to see about my family and Sango's family first. Please." She begs them. Her head bowed, looking at the ground, tears dripping.  
  
Sesshomaru steps back, obviously relaxing. "As you wish, Miko Higurashi Kagome." He nods his head to Inu-yasha. "I will refrain from attacking you, inu-yasha."  
  
Inu-yasha wordlessly snarls, but he doesn't say a thing.  
  
Sango and Miroku look at each other. "Kagome?" Sango whispers.  
  
Kagome lifts her head up to look at her friend. Sango nods in Sesshomaru's direction. Kagome's eyes flick to him and Inu-yasha. "Later, please, Sango. I can explain." She sighs, "but, not now, please."  
  
Sango nods. "The well or my brother?" She asks Kagome.  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Your brother, Sango. During our travels, Sesshomaru and I had to do something similar. But, things are different here."  
  
'That time when we were fighting that evil version of myself and Inu- yasha.' Kagome thinks. 'I died, but managed to transfer my soul into my sword, Jaa Kalpa. That keep my soul together until Sesshomaru could recover Tenseiga and heal my body. Then I placed my soul back into me body.'  
  
Her lips purse. 'The same technique should bring Kohaku back to life, but, instead of bonding myself to my body, I'll need to bond his soul back to his body. I hope that will work. Especially since Tenseiga isn't here.' She thinks.  
  
Kagome frowns. "What about Keade, Kouga and Kagura?"  
  
"Who cares at the wolf and the bitch." Inu-yasha growls.  
  
"I care." Kagome declares. "Kouga and Kagura were about to try to free us. I want to bring them back too."  
  
"Hachi?" Sango whispers to Miroku.  
  
Miroku nods to the woods. "He's in the woods, safe. I can sense that." He whispers back.  
  
"Good."  
  
Kagome, Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha exchange glances. They then look at Kikyo, who has been watching, most intensely.  
  
Kikyo smiles. "Normally, I won't tell you. But, since I'll be at peace, soon. I will."  
  
Kagome grimaces at that reminder that Kikyo and Inu-yasha will be together in hell soon.  
  
"And?" Sango asks.  
  
"Kagura's soul was reabsorbed into his body. Kagome destroyed it, when she destroyed Naraku."  
  
Kagome grimaces, but nods, accepting that. "Kouga?" Kagome asks.  
  
"His soul is powering that curse he applied to Naraku." Kikyo waves to Kouga body. "If you could see souls, like I can, you'd see it there."  
  
Kagome looks. She narrows her eyes. 'Yes. Like a ghost, I can see him.'  
  
"Miko Higurashi Kagome." Sesshomaru begins in a very formal and respectful tone of voice. Kagome looks at him.  
  
Everybody else, though, looks at Kagome. A similar thought/question is passing through all of their minds. 'What happened while they were away? Sesshomaru is acting respectful to her?'  
  
Kagome asks, "Yes, Sesshomaru, Lord of the western lands, what is it?"  
  
"If you, or we, disturb Kouga's soul, we also destroy his curse on Naraku. And that is a powerful curse."  
  
"He'd want to be alive." Kagome replies.  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. "And, in life, what would he gain?" his eyes flick to inu-yasha and then back to Kagome.  
  
Kagome grimaces. 'He's right. I like Kouga, but with Sesshomaru and Inu- yasha . . . there is no way he'd survive that. He'd simply be a target for both of them.'  
  
"Dead." Sesshomaru continues, "Kouga's soul powers a great curse. An effective curse, as well. Naraku will reform. His soul will be reincarnated. Kouga's curse will prevent him, however, from ever becoming powerful again. And, it also states that his clan will survive into the future."  
  
"IF we remove the curse and bring him back to life, then Naraku could,"  
  
"Will" Sesshomaru interrupts Kagome.  
  
"Will return and the future of his clan becomes questionable." Kagome finishes.  
  
Sesshomaru nods.  
  
Kagome walks over to Kouga's body. Everyone else follows her. She gently replaces his heart. "Kouga?" she whispers.  
  
Kouga's ghost forms next to his body. Everyone takes a deep breath as they see it. Kagome looks at him. "What do you want?"  
  
"You." Kouga replies.  
  
Kagome grimaces and shakes her head, no. "I'm sorry, Kouga, prince of the wolves, but, I will be your friend. I will stand beside you and your tribe. But, I will not be yours."  
  
"Why?" Kouga's ghostly voice echoes over the meadow.  
  
Kagome shakes her head. "I'm sorry." She whispers, as new tears begin to form.  
  
Kouga's ghost glares at Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. "It's the dog boys, right."  
  
"Some of it, Kouga." Kagome replies. "But, there are other reasons."  
  
Kouga replies, "Most of it." As he glares at Inu-yasha.  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Would I have you, if I return?" Kouga whispers.  
  
Kagome shakes her head, no. "Not that way, Kouga. Anything else, and I'd move heaven and earth for you, but not that."  
  
Kouga looks at Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. HE smiles. They glare back at him. He bends over and whispers into Kagome's ear. Only he and she can hear this whisper, his powers as a ghost makes sure of that . . .  
  
"When they kill each other, I will still be here. And I will still care for and still love you, Kagome. Raise me then."  
  
Kouga's ghost fades away.  
  
Kagome licks her lips. She looks at Kikyo. "Do you know a preservation spell? He'll like that, I think."  
  
Kikyo looks at Kagome. She looks at Kouga. "Please." Kagome asks.  
  
Kikyo's mouth twitches, "only because I enjoy the sound of your begging."  
  
Kagome bows her head to Kikyo. "Thank you."  
  
Kikyo steps over the body and casts a spell, to preserve it.  
  
"What about Keade?" Kagome asks her as Kikyo finishes.  
  
Keade's ghost forms next to Kagome. "I can answer for myself, my child."  
  
Kagome bows to Keade. "Shall we?"  
  
Keade shakes her head, no. "I've lived a long, fruitful, and I think good, life. I need a vacation. And I am looking forward to being reincarnated. Let my body rest. Let me rest."  
  
Kagome looks at the group. All of them, except Sesshomaru, she can tell are holding back tears. (Kanna, of course, is also unaffected.) 'Of course, no one will shed them, in public.' Kagome thinks. 'But, even Inu-yasha will shed some for her.'  
  
"I'll miss your wisdom." Kagome whispers. "I'll need that in the future."  
  
"You must depend upon your own wisdom, my child."  
  
"It would be easier to depend on yours."  
  
"That, my child, is bad thinking. You must stand on your own two feet."  
  
Kagome sighs, and softly begins to cry. "You were the grandmother that I never had. I'll miss you."  
  
Keade's ghost hugs Kagome. Keade looks at the others. All of them, including Kikyo and Kanna, step back and give her and Kagome some privacy.  
  
Time passes as Kagome sobs into the arms of Keade's ghost.  
  
After a while, Keade fades away. Kagome after wiping the tears from her face walks over to the others.  
  
"We talked Kikyo into preserving the body's of your mother and grandfather." Sango whispers as she hugs Kagome, first.  
  
"Thank you." Kagome whispers back.  
  
She separates from Sango. She looks at Miroku. "When we return from my side of the well, Miroku. Will you help me bury her?"  
  
Miroku bows, "It would be an honor."  
  
Kagome looks at kikyo. "Or would you prefer that honor?"  
  
Kikyo looks at the body of her sister. She looks at Inu-yasha. She opens her mouth, then closes it. Finally, she replies, "Inu-yasha and I will be going to hell, as soon as your family is returned to life, so no."  
  
Kagome looks at Kikyo, hard. She nods, sharply, once. 'I pray, to whatever god that wishes to listen, please, never make me that heartless.' She thinks.  
  
Kagome spins and faces Kanna. "Let's get Kohaku back to life, now." She growls out.  
  
Kanna leads them to Kohaku's body. Kanna leads, followed by Sango, and then the rest of the group.  
  
As they walk, Miroku approaches Kagome. Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru glare at him, but after a glance from Kagome, they don't say a thing.  
  
"How are you?" Miroku whispers to Kagome.  
  
Kagome softly laughs, "A question that I've been asking myself, Miroku. Things are happening too quickly."  
  
Miroku nods in agreement.  
  
"If there wasn't things that had to be done, right now, this instant, I'd be curled up, crying." Kagome whispers. She sharply looks at Miroku. "What about you? How is your hand?"  
  
Miroku smiles. "The hole is gone."  
  
"You're still wearing your gauntlet."  
  
Miroku pauses. He nods to Sango, as she walks in front of them. "There is a proper place and time for everything."  
  
"She'll like that." Kagome replies.  
  
He nods. Miroku whispers, "If she says, yes, will you?"  
  
Kagome smiles. "Of course. I am a miko."  
  
Miroku's eyebrow raises, "you didn't like using that term. during your travels with Sesshomaru, you have come to terms with that, I see."  
  
Kagome nods. She looks at his hands, and raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure that your hands are normal?" a ghost of a laugh is in her voice.  
  
"I should warn you, touching me, right now, would be a very bad thing." She whispers, before he can answer.  
  
Miroku smiles. "Very sure. But, this is not the time or place, as of yet."  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
Kanna stops, and points to the ground.  
  
Sango drops to her knees and begins to dig into the earth. After a couple of seconds pause, Kagome, Kirara, and Miroku help her.  
  
Kikyo, Kanna, Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha stand back.  
  
Inu-yasha glares at Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru stares back. He whispers. "If you are going with Kikyo, why does it matter?"  
  
Inu-yasha sputters. "Sesshomaru!" he growls loudly.  
  
Kagome looks up for her digging. She growls. "IF you two fight, I will get angry at both of you. And right now, I have no idea what I'd do." Power sparks from her body, causing Sango and Miroku to bend away from her.  
  
Sesshomaru bows to Kagome. "I am sorry. I will hold my tongue better." That causes everyone to look at Sesshomaru and Kagome and back again.  
  
Inu-yasha growls. "Hurry, the fuck up. I want this over and done with."  
  
A few minutes later, as dawn is breaking, Kohaku's body is revealed.  
  
Kagome grimaces. "Sango. Sesshomaru and I did something similar to this during our travels. But, Tenseiga was with us." She licks her lips. "I think, I hope, that my healing spells, which have improved during my travels, will work. But, I can't promise you anything."  
  
Sango nods. Her body is tense, but, she is standing next to her brother's body.  
  
Kagome places her hands on Kohaku body. Her hands glow. His body glows . . .  
  
The glow fades. Kohaku body is healed, but still dead.  
  
"I wish that Tenseiga were here." Kagome whispers as she stands up and looks at Kanna.  
  
Kanna looks back at Kagome.  
  
Sesshomaru frowns. "Wait." He orders.  
  
"Huh?" everyone looks at him.  
  
HE points up into the air. "Something is approaching."  
  
Everyone looks up.  
  
An oni is flying toward them. It crashlands nearby.  
  
"Tetsusaiga!" Inu-yasha yells. 'I can feel it.' He thinks.  
  
Kagome smiles. 'The swords.' She thinks. 'Somehow they came back. Now. Everything will be all right.'  
  
The end of this chapter . . .

* * *

Authors' note: Please note, I am approaching the confrontation between the characters about the Sesshomaru/Kagome/inu-yasha triangle. Sigh. However, the reviews on my story have been declining. What I am doing wrong?  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	11. rebirth

Kagome return chapter 10

Rebirth

* * *

Kagome grimaces. "Sango. Sesshomaru and I did something similar to this during our travels. But, Tenseiga was with us." She licks her lips. "I think, I hope, that my healing spells, which have improved during my travels, will work. But, I can't promise you anything."  
  
Sango nods. Her body is tense, but, she is standing next to her brother's body.  
  
Kagome places her hands on Kohaku body. Her hands glow. His body glows . . .  
  
The glow fades. Kohaku's body is healed, but it is still dead.  
  
"I wish that Tenseiga were here." Kagome whispers as she stands up and looks at Kanna.  
  
Kanna looks back at Kagome.  
  
Sesshomaru frowns. "Wait." He orders.  
  
"Huh?" everyone looks at him.  
  
HE points up into the air. "Something is approaching."  
  
Everyone looks up.  
  
An oni is flying toward them. It crash-lands nearby.  
  
"Tetsusaiga!" Inu-yasha yells. 'I can feel it.' He thinks.  
  
Kagome smiles. 'The swords.' She thinks. 'Somehow they came back. Now. Everything will be all right.'  
  
Kagome, Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha rush to the Oni's body.  
  
"How do you feel?" Miroku asks as he and Sango remain next to her brother's body.  
  
Sango looks at him, sharply. "Not right now, Monk."  
  
Miroku stares back, "I meant nothing more with that question, than what a friend would ask another friend." Sango swallows, and looks down at her brother's body. "I. .. "She begins, then continues, "I don't know. I wish, I hope."  
  
Miroku reaches out and puts his hand on her shoulder, and only her shoulder, and gently squeezes. "My hopes ride with yours."  
  
Sango looks at his hand. She looks at his other hand, which, he has placed behind him, as far away from her as possible. She looks back at her brother and whispers, "thank you."  
  
At the oni's body . . .  
  
"Here is your sword." Sesshomaru says as he hands Kagome Jaa Kalpa. His two swords are already in place at his side.  
  
"Thank you," She replies, as she accepts the sword and begins to place it around her waist.  
  
"Kagome?" Inu-yasha asks, puzzled, as he places his sword around his waist.  
  
Kagome draws her sword, and holding it between her spread hands, shows it to Inu-yasha. "May I present, Jaa Kalpa, Inu-yasha. I found it during my travels. It saved my life and Sesshomaru's life during them."  
  
"Its not as powerful as our families swords," Sesshomaru says, right on the heels of Kagome's statement, "but, it allows her to focus her power in combat better. All in all, a very useful weapon, that, as she said, has saved our lives."  
  
Inu-yasha looks at the sword and then at Kagome and Sesshomaru. He smiles, and begins to laugh.  
  
"Inu-yasha!?" Kagome asks.  
  
"You're so weak that you needed her?" Inu-yasha says between chuckles. "She saved your life?"  
  
Sesshomaru growls. He opens his mouth, but at Kagome's touch, he shuts it.  
  
"Inu-yasha, if you could, please tell me how you would have survived, say, Yura, without me?" Kagome asks in a sweet-sounding voice.  
  
Inu-yasha stops laughing. He looks at Kagome. She smiles back, sweetly, raising an eyebrow as a silent request for an answer.  
  
He looks at Sesshomaru, standing behind her, in a supporting position. Sesshomaru also raises an eyebrow.  
  
Inu-yasha growls, a very ugly sound.  
  
"Kagome!" Sango calls, interrupting them, from where her brother is still lying. "Is everything ok?"  
  
Inu-yasha spins and stomps toward Sango, angrily, his feet kicking at the grass, and punting large divots into the distance.  
  
Kagome sighs, heavily, but follows. Sesshomaru follows her.  
  
At Kohaku's body . . .  
  
Sango kneels next the body. Kagome kneels next to the head of the body, as well.  
  
Kanna places her mirror on the body. Kohaku's soul seeps out of the mirror and floats, for a second, over the body.  
  
Sesshomaru stands over the body and swings Tenseiga, swiftly and cleanly through the soul and the body. The force of the swing drags the soul through the body.  
  
Kagome grips the head as she concentrates on her healing spell.  
  
Kohaku's body shudders and flops, like electricity is being driven through it.  
  
The body stills . . .  
  
He opens his eyes and screams, "NO! I wanted to stay dead!" Sango instantly picks him up and hugs him. "You're alive!" she cries.  
  
"No! Please!" Kohaku cries, "I've done horrible things, please. Let me die, so I can forget them!"  
  
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru, Miroku, Inu-yasha, Kikyo and Kanna.  
  
Kanna and Kikyo stare back, without emotion.  
  
Inu-yasha grimaces, but doesn't do anything else.  
  
Miroku grimaces, but says, "Kohaku, it wasn't your fault, you were controlled."  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow, and he doesn't sheath Tenseiga.  
  
"That doesn't matter!" Kohaku cries. "You don't know what I've done!"  
  
"Everything will be fine." Sango cries, as she continues to hug him. "Now that we're together, we'll make it better."  
  
"No! We can't!" Kohaku cries, then he begins to bawl, tears falling down his cheeks as he hugs his sister.  
  
Sango starts to rock back and forth, hugging him, and softly crooning a child's lullaby, Kohaku favorite, from his childhood.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asks, since she sees that he has not sheathed his sword.  
  
"I might be able to help." He replies. "Or rather, Tenseiga might."  
  
"How?" Miroku asks, before anyone else can.  
  
"Tenseiga is a healing sword. His spirit is damaged and hurting."  
  
Sango lifts her head from Kohaku shoulder. Her bloodshot and crying eyes lock on Sesshomaru's. "Can you? What would be the cost?"  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow, "Have I asked for anything? You are Higurashi Kagome's best friend. For that alone, I would help you to the fullest extent of my powers."  
  
Sango, Miroku, Kikyo and Kanna look at kagome. Kagome blushes purple. Inu-yasha spins around and kicks a huge divot into the tree line, far, far away.  
  
Kohaku lifts his head off Sango's shoulder. "If you can help me, please, do it . . . "he begs.  
  
Sesshomaru looks at Sango.  
  
Sango takes a deep breath, and then nods, once, sharply.  
  
Tenseiga swings through Kohaku and Sango.  
  
Sango stiffens.  
  
Kohaku closes his eyes and slumps against his sister.  
  
"What happened?" Sango asks as she gently places him on the ground.  
  
"I think, Sango, that what Sesshomaru did overwhelm him. And he went to sleep, so his mind could adjust." Kagome slowly says.  
  
Kanna scoops up her mirror, from where it fell, when Sango started to hug Kohaku. She places a scroll in Sango's hand.  
  
Sango looks at the group. Everyone, except Sesshomaru and Kikyo nod.  
  
Kanna looks at Kikyo. Kikyo looks back. "I am not part of their group." Kikyo replies to her silent question. "However, I also have no quarrel with you."  
  
Kanna nods at Kikyo, then looks Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. "I, too, have not been part of their encounters with you." He raises a hand, preventing anyone from interrupting him. (A glare at Inu-yasha, accompanies that gesture, just too safe.) "However, I will swear with along with them, IF you swear to have no dealings with my mother or any of her agents, now or in the future."  
  
Sesshomaru thinks, 'My mother wasn't here earlier, nor was anyone else from my clan. If she was, or they were, since I am still the official head of the clan, they would have had to have made some attempt to save me. By not showing up, they can always come up with some excuse about why they weren't here. If Naraku had won, they would have used one excuse. Since we won, should I ask, they'll no doubt, say that they were planning a rescue, but things happened so quickly, that it wasn't possible to accomplish a rescue plan. If my mother bothers to give any explanation at all, or I bother to ask.'  
  
"Sesshomaru's mother?" Miroku mouths as he looks at Kagome.  
  
Kagome grimaces and mouths, "later." Back to him.  
  
The mention of Sesshomaru's mother, does cause Inu-yasha to glare at Sesshomaru, his jaws grinding his teeth together in anger.  
  
Kanna looks at Sesshomaru, and her normally emotionless eyes spark, with something . . .  
  
He looks back at her, also, emotionlessly. His lips curl, showing his fangs. "If you are spying for my mother, I will, of course, destroy you, now." His hand caresses Tokijin's hilt.  
  
A timeless pause.  
  
Kanna nods, once. Her voice sounds like something long dead as she says, "I agree to your terms, Lord of the Western Lands." She waves her hand over her mirror.  
  
Sesshomaru smiles as his mystical senses hear his mother scream of rage as the connection to the mirror fades. He nods to Kanna and removes his hand from his sword.  
  
Miroku frowns as he thinks, 'I wonder, exactly what is Kanna doing? She saved Kohaku soul, why? And then, there is some connection with Sesshomaru's mother? Why?'  
  
He slowly nods, as he continues to think, 'She must have planned for Naraku's defeat. Kohaku's soul was to bribe her way away from us, and to a drag a promise from us of not attacking her. Sesshomaru's mother, though, was Kanna perhaps going to offer her services to her? And if so, what was she going to get out of it?'  
  
He purses his lips, 'Hmm. Questions that I don't think that she'll answer, now. So, I must remember them, and during our next encounter with Kanna, see if I can solve them.'  
  
Each one of the group reads the scroll that Kanna provided out loud, agreeing to her terms. (Miroku, by the way, went first. Inu-yasha, by the way, barely glanced at the scroll, before parroting what Miroku and the others said.)  
  
Kanna quickly leaves, after that.  
  
Miroku looks at Sango, who is still holding onto to her brother's unconscious body. He, then, asks, glancing at Kagome, "Kagome? What about your family?"  
  
Kagome, who had been kneeling next to Sango, trying to comfort her best friend, looks at him. "They are next. I just don't know what to with Kohaku."  
  
Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha and Kikyo are standing off to one side, Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha exchanging glares. Kikyo faintly smiling. "Could you explain?" Miroku asks.  
  
Kagome sighs, "My first thought was to have you and Sango go through the well with me."  
  
"We cannot." He replies.  
  
"I've found a way for you to go through the well, both of you." Kagome replies. "But, with Kohaku unconscious, I don't know." She grimaces. "I'd like to bring him through, as well. I think a real doctor needs to look at him."  
  
"Do you doubt Tenseiga's power?" Sesshomaru asks in surprise.  
  
Kagome shakes her head, no. "I don't doubt that, Sesshomaru. But, I would like to know exactly what Tenseiga did."  
  
Sango looks at her friend. "Do you think it'll be dangerous?"  
  
Kagome shakes her head, no. "I don't think so. Rin and Shippo went through when they were unconscious. I just . . . I just didn't know if that was what you wanted, Sango."  
  
Sango looks at her brother, then back at Kagome. "You have told stories at the doctors on your side of the well, Kagome." She nods, sharply. "I would like to get my brother examined by them."  
  
She nods to Sesshomaru. "While I trust the lord of the western lands, I feel, that it is in my best interest, and the best interest of my brother, to get him the best medical care possible."  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "Acceptable."  
  
"Then, lets get to the damned well." Inu-yasha growls. "And get this over with."  
  
Kikyo smiles, "it is good to see that you are prepared for what follows, Inu-yasha."  
  
Inu-yasha opens and closes his mouth, 'that's not what I meant.' He thinks. 'I was talking about Sesshomaru and Kagome and what happened during their trip. I want to know that, but until Kagome's has her family back, she's not going to say a thing.'  
  
He looks at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru allows his lips to quirks up. Inu-yasha thinks, 'he knows what I was thinking about, even if Kikyo doesn't.'  
  
Kagome looks at Kikyo. She looks at inu-yasha. "kikyo." She states.  
  
Kikyo looks at Kagome.  
  
Kagome, with a little hesitation, begins to speak, "kikyo, the method to get others through the well, requires mixing my blood or inu-yasha's blood with a living creature."  
  
"So, I will not be able to go with you." Kikyo states.  
  
Kagome nods. 'At least I think so.' She thinks, 'although the well has always been less strict about nonliving objects going through it. My backpack, when totally full, weighs close to Kikyo's weight. And since she's nonliving, she might be able to go through, without any problem. But I'm not going to tell her that.' Kagome finishes thinking.  
  
Kikyo looks at Inu-yasha. Inu-yasha shrugs. "I don't know. She probably figured it out, since the brat and Rin went through covered with my blood." He replies to her unspoken question.  
  
Kikyo purses her lips. "In that case, I want Inu-yasha to remain on this side of the well." "Huh!?" Kagome exclaims/questions.  
  
"I do not know what is through that well, reincarnation." Kikyo replies. "And, as you stated earlier, there have been, in the past, too many tricks between us. I will not allow Inu-yasha out of my sight."  
  
Kagome thinks, 'we could just ignore her. I know where the souls are . . . but in that case, how are we better than Naraku or her? I must show that I am, we are, trustworthy.'  
  
"Inu-yasha?" Kagome asks.  
  
Inu-yasha looks at Kagome. He looks at Kikyo. His eyes narrow as he glares at Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru stays on this side, as well." He growls. 'No way am I letting Kagome and him together, out of my sight.' He thinks.  
  
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru. Everyone else looks at him as well.  
  
'My plans.' Kikyo thinks in a semi-panic. 'Without Tenseiga, how can they raise her family? And if her family isn't alive, then Inu-yasha doesn't have to follow me to hell. Sesshomaru must go thru the well.'  
  
Kikyo opens her mouth to speak, but . . .  
  
Sesshomaru removes Tenseiga from his side and places it in Kagome's hands. "You have used Tenseiga before. You have my permission to do so, again."  
  
Kagome bows deeply to Sesshomaru. "Thank you, Lord of the western lands."  
  
Sesshomaru waves off the bow, "let us get you through the well."  
  
Kagome starts to walk toward the well, but she stops, in her tracks, "What about the bodies? They need to be on the other side of the well!"  
  
Miroku says, "dead bodies commonly vanish in the well. I believe, that if they are with us, they will travel with us."  
  
Kagome slowly nods. "That makes sense." Kikyo's eyebrow raises, "Then, I can also travel through that well. Since I am dead."  
  
Miroku's eyes narrow, and he thinks, 'I'm sure that Kagome would not like Kikyo to travel through the well, so.'  
  
"You might be dead, Miko Kikyo, but your body is not dead. It is a creation of clay and magic. The well is full of magic. Do you wish to take the chance that the magic of the well, might not disrupt the magic that holds you to that body?" Miroku asks.  
  
He smiles, "I am sure that I, at least, would be happy, if you appeared on the other side of the well, and then you collapse, as the magic of the well, destroys you."  
  
Kikyo opens her mouth. She closes it, and looks at Inu-yasha. Inu-yasha shrugs. "I don't know. There is a lot of magic in that well. What it would do to you, I don't know." He says.  
  
Kagome looks at Miroku, smiling. He smiles back at her, nodding gently.  
  
Kikyo huffs, then says, "Very well. Inu-yasha and I will remain on this side of the well."  
  
"Until you return, telling me that your family is alive, nothing will happen." Inu-yasha tells Kagome.  
  
"No. If your family is alive, you will bring them through the well." Kikyo demands. "I'm not going to have you lie and say it didn't work and keep Inu- yasha from going to hell with me."  
  
Kagome glares at kikyo. "I wouldn't. But, I will bring them through the well, If for no other reason than, I would like them to attend Keade's funeral."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Since everything has been decided," Sesshomaru begins. "Inu-yasha and I will bring Kagome's families bodies to the well, and then everyone that is going thru will go through the well."  
  
Sesshomaru and inu-yasha gather up the bodies, Kagome is going with them to make sure everything is ok.  
  
Kikyo stands off to one side, eyeing them, but she doesn't walk with them.  
  
Miroku goes over to Sango. "You haven't said much." He says, as Sango stands up, carrying her brother's body.  
  
"What?" Sango asks, as she looks at him. "I've been watching Kohaku, not paying attention."  
  
Miroku looks at Kohaku, "is there a problem?"  
  
"His eyes. He might be asleep, but his eyes are rolling back and forth." Sango whispers. "I don't know if that's a good or bad sign."  
  
Miroku looks at Kohaku. "It's good."  
  
Sango looks at him. "Are you sure."  
  
Miroku nods. "Of course, I am."  
  
Sango allows a small smile on her face. "Thank you."  
  
Miroku bows his head to her. "My pleasure."  
  
He thinks, 'I don't know is it's good or bad. But, she needed to hear something good, so I told her that.'  
  
With Kagome, Sesshomaru, and Inu-yasha, as they gather up the bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather.  
  
"Kagome?" Inu-yasha asks as he growls and glares at Sesshomaru.  
  
Kagome looks at Inu-yasha and then, following his glare, at Sesshomaru.  
  
"Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers, tears forming in her eyes. "Please. Can it wait? Please."  
  
Sesshomaru, glaring at Inu-yasha, says, "if you're leaving with the corpse does it matter?"  
  
Inu-yasha growls, wordlessly.  
  
"Please, Inu-yasha." Kagome begs. "Once things settle down, I do want to talk to you and tell you what happened, please. Just don't force it, now. Please." Tears begin to fall down her face.  
  
Inu-yasha kicks a divot into the tree line. He closes his mouth and doesn't speak.  
  
At the well . . .  
  
Sesshomaru, since without Kagome's blood he won't activate the well, places the bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather at the bottom of the well.  
  
Sango is carrying her brother's body. Inu-yasha, using his claws, cuts Sango's palm and the palm of her brother. Kagome, her palm already cut, grabs both of the hands with one hand.  
  
Miroku and Kagome's bloody palms are already together in the grasp of her other hand.  
  
They stand on the edge of the well. Kagome says, "On three, we jump."  
  
Miroku and Sango chorus, "yes."  
  
"One."  
  
"Two."  
  
"Three."  
  
They jump into the well.  
  
The well glows blue.  
  
Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha and Kikyo look over the edge of the well. It is empty.  
  
Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha look at each other.  
  
They growl, softly, at each other.  
  
"Well, little brother?" Sesshomaru purrs.  
  
"Well, what? Asshole." Inu-yasha growls back.  
  
The glare between them heats up. . . .  
  
"Why are you, upset, Inu-yasha?" Kikyo asks. "Soon, you'll be with me, forever, not her."  
  
Inu-yasha opens and closes his mouth, as he tries to think of an answer . . .  
  
On the other side of the well . . .  
  
"Are you sure, kid?" Ranma asks. "I've asked Kagome about finding a cure many times, and she's always said no."  
  
Shippo replies, hotly, "I'm not a kid. And Kagome was always afraid of her magic, so she never really knew much. I'm a kitsune, and changing shapes is easy."  
  
He smirks, "I know that my father and mother changed humans into other creatures. And I remember, once, father turning a squirrel into a beautiful young woman, as a bribe to a samurai that had him trapped. On the other side of the well, I've got their spell book. Locating the spell that changes things into humans, shouldn't be hard to find. Then, I can cast it on you, and instant cure!"  
  
Ranma grunts. "Ok. Kid. Shippo." He opens the well house door. "Let's figure out a way through the well." He and Shippo enter the well house.  
  
"I don't know, Ranma." Akane says as she follows them. "Kagome was always pretty straight forward about this, and she didn't want anyone to disturb it."  
  
Rin and Sota also enter the well house.  
  
The well house glows blue . . .  
  
Ranma, Shippo and Akane instantly stand on the edge of the well and look down.  
  
Kagome looks up. "Akane? Ranma?"  
  
"What happened?" Akane cries. "Your mother? Your grandfather?" she points at their bodies.  
  
"Who are you?" Ranma asks Miroku and Sango.  
  
"Sango! Miroku!" Shippo calls out, "Kagome! What happened?"  
  
"Naraku is what happened." Kagome replies. She opens her mouth, obviously about to scream at Shippo. Then she shakes her head, no.  
  
"Are they?" Sota whispers, as he and Rin finally make it to the edge of the well.  
  
Kagome swallows, but bows her head and doesn't say anything.  
  
Miroku, speaking in a firm tone, says, "Everything will be fine. Right now, Kagome's Mother's soul and her grandfather's soul are missing from their bodies. We know where they are, and we know how to reestablish their souls back into the bodies."  
  
Sota looks at Kagome, his eyes clouding up, "is that true, sis?"  
  
Kagome licks her lips and nods up at the top of the well. "Basically."  
  
Sota sighs.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Rin asks quietly.  
  
"He's ok." Kagome replies. "He just had to stay on the other side, Rin. You'll be with him soon."  
  
Rin smiles.  
  
"Hey, Kagome." Ranma asks. "Shippo, here." He places his hand on Shippo's shoulder. "Was talking about some sort of magic to change me into a full man? What do you know about that?"  
  
Kagome looks at Shippo.  
  
Shippo looks back, "We needed help getting through the well."  
  
"And?" Kagome asks.  
  
Shippo shrugs, "He'd be on this side of the well, before the spell wore off, so I didn't see any problem."  
  
Ranma's hand squeezes Shippo's shoulder. "You lied to me." He hisses.  
  
Shippo looks at him, "helping Kagome is far more important than telling the truth."  
  
Ranma's mouth opens at that bald statement.  
  
"Since you two are here," Kagome calls up. "Akane and Ranma, could you help me with their bodies? I need to get them as close to the god tree as possible."  
  
"Sure." Akane replies and she jumps down the well.  
  
Ranma glares at Shippo. Shippo returns the glare. He smirks, "I am a kitsune, Ranma. I wasn't lying about changing shapes. I did lie about what I could change and how long it would last. Do you want me to test those spells on you?" His eyes flick up and down Ranma's body. "Say I turn you into a dog or a cat?"  
  
Ranma quickly lets go of Shippo. He glares at him, but jumps down the well.  
  
Sota looks at Shippo. "Could you really?"  
  
Shippo smiles, mysteriously, back.  
  
Rin whispers in Sota's ears, "when he's older."  
  
"Oh." Sota says in disappointment.  
  
"Why did you have to tell him that, Rin?" Shippo pouts. His sensitive hearing did hear her whisper.  
  
Rin smiles back at Shippo, and doesn't say a word.  
  
Down at the bottom of the well . . .  
  
"Kagome?" Akane whispers, as she touches the body of Mrs.H, and she glances up at Sota, Shippo and Rin at the top of the well. "You know, I'm not feeling a pulse . . . "  
  
"I know." Kagome says, hastily. "I can bring them back, Akane, I just need their bodies to be next to the God Tree."  
  
"But they're dead?" Ranma asks. "How?"  
  
Kagome shakes her head. "I can do it. Please, Ranma, just bring them next to the God tree." Akane and Ranma look at each other, shrug, and pick up the bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather. They leave the well.  
  
"Go ahead and climb out of the well, Miroku, Sango." Kagome says to her two friends as she heals their cut palms. "I'll be right behind you."  
  
Kagome calls up to the top of the well, "Sota, Shippo, Rin, stay there, I'll introduce everyone once we're out of the well."  
  
"Ok." They chorus.  
  
Sango, using her superhuman strength jumps out of the well, still holding her brother.  
  
Miroku easily climbs out of the well, especially after Sota remembers to let down the rope ladder. (Almost hitting him on the head with it, as it tumbles down the well.)  
  
Kagome as she watches everyone climb out of the well, leans back against the side of the well. She sighs heavily and almost moans, 'I couldn't let them see it but, I feel awful.' She thinks. 'I was feeling great, even after all that happened tonight, my body was feeling super, even supercharged, then I arrive on this side of the well, and it's like half, or more than half of me is missing.'  
  
She purses her lips, 'Do I have the strength to bring them back?' After a deep breath, she thinks, 'Yes. I will. No matter what, I will have the strength. If necessary, Miroku can help.'  
  
"Kagome?" Sango asks from the top of the well.  
  
Kagome looks up, and replies, "I'm coming, Sango! I just wanted to catch my breath. Things have been happening pretty quickly."  
  
Sango nods, "fine."  
  
"You're Sango?" Sota asks her.  
  
Sango nods to him, "yes. And your Kagome's brother, Sota."  
  
He nods, smiling.  
  
"I am Miroku." Miroku says as he introduces himself. "And I'm pleased you, Sota." He bows to him.  
  
Sota bows back. "So you're Miroku. Huh."  
  
Miroku raises an eyebrow. "Hmmm? I am a monk."  
  
"You're a lecherous monk." Sango replies. "And I'm sure that Kagome has told him about it."  
  
"Not really." Kagome says as she climbs out of the well. "But, sometimes, it slipped out."  
  
"Slipped out?" Sota exclaims. "What about that time when you and mom were arguing over that magazine. I could hear you all the way up to the top of the stairs!"  
  
"You were supposed to be asleep, Sota!" Kagome replies, hotly. "And, mom finally agreed with me."  
  
Miroku looks back and forth between Kagome and Sota, 'I wonder, what are they talking about?'  
  
"But, that's not important right now." Kagome continues, "Let's get to the god tree and help grandfather and mother."  
  
"Ok." Sota replies.  
  
Rin asks Sango, "Is he?" she points to Sango's brother, still in her arms.  
  
"He's alive and he's free of Naraku's control." Sango replies. "But, the shock was too much and he's unconscious. Once we finish with helping with Kagome's mother and grandfather, Kagome has promised to bring him to a doctor, to find out what happened."  
  
Rin nods. She smiles. "Sota showed Rin a book with many, many flowers in it. He promised that when his mother was home, she'd take Rin where the flowers are. Rin will bring him back some."  
  
Sango smiles, "he'll like that, Rin."  
  
"Come on." Kagome says as she opens the well house door. "Welcome to my world." She smiles.  
  
Sango and Miroku stop, their jaws dropping, as they gaze upon modern Tokyo.  
  
"Those buildings are man-made?" Miroku asks as he points to the tallest buildings he can see.  
  
"Yes, Miroku. Made by people. And there are much taller buildings in the city as well."  
  
Miroku bows, accepting her explanation. 'I've known, from her stories, about these huge buildings, but seeing them is a lot different from hearing about them.' He thinks.  
  
"The air." Sango begins, she coughs, "It seems foul. Is there some evil demon in the area? I cannot sense it, but, I've only smelled worse air around major demons."  
  
Kagome sniffs. She looks at Sota, raises an eyebrow. "Sota? Did you listen the weather, this morning?"  
  
Sota shrugs, "not really. I think is pretty normal smog. I don't remember hearing any special warning about air-pollution."  
  
Kagome looks at Sango. "That's just how the air smells here, Sango. It can get better and it can get worse."  
  
"Your house." Miroku points to the Higurashi residence.  
  
Kagome nods. "Once, we're finished at the god tree, Miroku. I'll show you both around it." She smiles at Sango. "How would you like to take a real bath?"  
  
Sango smiles. "I'll enjoy that immensely, Kagome. Is it true that there will be a thick door between us and Miroku?"  
  
Kagome smiles. "Yes."  
  
Miroku frowns. "Ladies. Please, I am not planning on spying on you in the bath."  
  
Sango and Kagome smiles grow larger.  
  
"Hey! Kagome!" Ranma calls. "Is this ok?!" He points to were Kagome's mother and grandfather's bodies are at. They are at the base of the god tree.  
  
Kagome calls, "They're fine, Ranma. I'll be there in a second." She looks at everyone. They look at each other, then at her. Everyone nods at Kagome.  
  
Kagome and the others go to the god tree. "Miroku." Kagome begins. "I might need to tap your spiritual strength."  
  
Miroku bows. "It is yours, Lady Kagome."  
  
Kagome looks at her mother's and grandfather's body as she stands over them, trying to decide who is first. 'Mother.' She thinks.  
  
She kneels next to her mother's head. She gestures Miroku to sit next to her. "Place your hands on me, Miroku." She states.  
  
Miroku's eyebrow raises, "I never thought that hear you say that, lady Kagome."  
  
Sango, a death threat in her voice, says, "be careful where you touch her."  
  
Miroku sighs, heavily and places his hands on Kagome's shoulders.  
  
Akane, how along with everyone else, has moved away from the tree, looks at Sota. Sango takes this chance to gently place her brother on the ground, near the god tree, but not near the bodies of Kagome's family.  
  
Sota looks back, "Did she ever tell you about Miroku and his hands? How he is a pervert?"  
  
Akane's eye change, becoming harder, she nods, once. "I remember now. Monk." She orders Miroku, "If you touch her the wrong way, you'll regret it." She waves her fist at Miroku.  
  
Miroku sighs, the long suffering sigh of a person that has been misunderstood all his life.  
  
Ranma, catching the byplay, asks Shippo. "Shippo, you owe me, so what's going on?"  
  
Shippo looks around. "Miroku's hands . . . wander onto places that men shouldn't touch. At least in public."  
  
Ranma thinks about that for a second. "He gropes girls?" he asks Shippo.  
  
"I do not grope girls." Miroku says huffily. "I show my appreciation for the beautiful women that the gods have placed on this earth."  
  
Ranma nods. "You grope girls."  
  
"Quiet." Kagome orders. "I've got to concentrate." She places her Tenseiga hilt nearby, so she can grab it and swing it in a hurry. She places her hands on her mother's hand, closes her eyes and . . .  
  
In a timeless instant . . .  
  
elsewhere, where the powers of Kagome and the Go-Shin-Boku-kami, come together . . .  
  
"Go-Shin-Boku-Kami." She telepathically calls.  
  
"I am here." He replies, also telepathically.  
  
"You know what I want."  
  
He nods. "Of course. The souls of your mother and grandfather." He waves his hand. Two glowing balls of light appear near him.  
  
"What is the cost?" Kagome asks.  
  
The god tree looks at Kagome. "You swallowed the acorn."  
  
She nods.  
  
He sighs, heavily. "That anchors you onto that reality."  
  
Kagome slowly nods. "I'm feeling drained, weak."  
  
He nods. "Yes. The longer you are away from that reality, the weaker you will become. The more that you use your powers, the weaker you will become, since you can't recover most of it on this world."  
  
"You were going to force me to swallow the acorn here, weren't you." She states. "So, I would be forced to save this world, not the other."  
  
He sighs, "I was." "Now?"  
  
a pause . . .  
  
"Holding onto their souls would be petty. Destroying them, would be worse the petty." The Go-Shin-Boku-kami sighs. "They are yours."  
  
Both souls float to Kagome. She gathers them in each hand. "How did you get them to agree to give you their souls?"  
  
"I lied." The god tree replies. "It was part of the plan to force you to swallow the acorn here." He shakes his head. "Too late now."  
  
"Too late." Kagome replies. She nods. Her eyes narrow as she looks at him.  
  
"You seem visibly weaker." She asks. The God tree's hair is whiter, he is not standing, quite as straight as he was earlier.  
  
He nods. He sighs, "before, I always had the hope that somehow, someway, things would work out. And that hope . . . "  
  
"Is gone." She says.  
  
He nods.  
  
Kagome moves next to him and hugs him. "I should hate you." She whispers in his ear. "And to a degree I do." He stiffens at her tone. "But, you've given me back my family. I suppose that evens things out."  
  
She releases him. "I don't think we'll ever be friends, Go-Shin-Boku-kami. But, I won't be your enemy. And, if I can, I will help you. Not out of friendship, but, simply because, I hate to see anyone suffer."  
  
He slumps, heavily. "Once, I considered telling you everything, soon after you started your quest. And making my appeal to you, directly, instead of trying to guide you into doing what I wanted." He pauses. "That was a mistake, I see that now. I didn't trust you enough to do what's right."  
  
Kagome nods. "Good-bye Go-Shin-Boku-kami. I may talk to you later, but, things are liable to get hectic."  
  
He nods. "Be careful about the well, Higurashi Kagome. Do not make any frivolous trips through it. While I am not at the end of my strength that time is soon approaching."  
  
Kagome nods. She turns her back to him and looks at the two souls that he gave her. "Mother, grandfather?" She whispers, "I'm going to reunite you with your bodies, soon. So, be prepared."  
  
"Kagome." Her grandfather's voice whispers.  
  
"Yes, grandfather?"  
  
"I died a man, did I?"  
  
Kagome nods. "Yes."  
  
"Let that stand. If I return . . . the next time, I will not die a man, but like the coward I was."  
  
"Are you sure, father?" Kagome's mother whispers.  
  
"Yes, daughter. And, can you make my body seem like it died a peaceful death, my granddaughter?"  
  
"Of course, grandfather. Fixing your body, even, when dead, is easy. It is reuniting the souls that are difficult."  
  
"Then do so. Make it seem like I had a heart attack. My life insurance will help the family more than my presence."  
  
"Mother?" Kagome asks. "What do I do?"  
  
A pause.  
  
"Let me die a man." Kagome's grandfather whispers. "Not as a coward that bent to anyone's will. My mother, my father, my wife, your husband, even yourself, my daughter, all of you controlled me. Please let me die with dignity."  
  
"I owe you that much, father." Mrs. H whispers.  
  
Kagome holds her grandfather's soul in her hand. "I love you, grandfather. And I will miss you." Tears begin to flow down her cheek. "I'll miss you, too, Kagome." He replies. "Perhaps, this old man, might become a ghost and watch over you."  
  
Kagome spins and looks at the Go-Shin-Boku-kami, who is still behind her.  
  
He nods and holds out his hand. Kagome places her grandfather's soul in it. "Thank you." She whispers.  
  
"My pleasure." He replies.  
  
"Ready mother?" Kagome asks.  
  
"One second, my daughter." Her mother's soul requests.  
  
"Huh? Why?" she replies in surprise.  
  
"Did you father her?" Mrs. H asks the god tree. "Your eyes. I remember them. I don't remember much of my wedding night, I was far too drunk, but I remember them."  
  
A pause.  
  
"I did."  
  
"I see." Mrs. H's soul hisses. "I will speak to you, later."  
  
"As you wish, my strength is limited, I may not answer."  
  
"You will." She replies. "I'm ready, Kagome."  
  
Back on earth, beside the body of her mother, Kagome opens her eyes.  
  
In her left hand is a glowing ball of energy. She grabs Tenseiga and as she places her mother's soul on her body she swings Tenseiga through the body.  
  
Miroku groans as Kagome drains him of power as he clutches her shoulders . . .  
  
Mrs. H's body shudders. She opens her eyes. "I'm alive." She croaks.  
  
"Mother!" Kagome picks up her mother and hugs her, tightly.  
  
Mrs. H hugs back, just as tight. "That was an experience that I'd rather not do again." She says, her voice full of relief.  
  
Kagome laughs, "Mom, do you know how many times, after an adventure, that I've had that same thought?"  
  
Mrs. h laughs, "every time?"  
  
"Pretty much." Kagome replies. "Having someone wave a clawed fist in your face and tell you that you're lunch, is not the sign of a nice day."  
  
"Mother? Kagome?" Sota says.  
  
His mother breaks her hug of Kagome and grabs him and the three of them hug. "What about grandfather?" Sota asks.  
  
Mrs. h and Kagome exchange a glance. "He died a man. A real man, Sota and he is resting peacefully after a good and long life."  
  
"Well, he will probably watch over you." Kagome says. "He said something like that."  
  
"A ghost?" Sota whispers.  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
"Cool!" Sota exclaims. "We'll have a ghost in the house. Everyone at school will love that!"  
  
Kagome and her mother exchange another glance.  
  
They both begin to laugh, loud and hard.  
  
After a couple of minutes.  
  
They stop laughing, and Kagome and Sota help their mother stand.  
  
"Mother." Kagome begins as she waves her hand at Sango. "May I present my best friend, Sango the demon exterminator."  
  
Sango bows to Mrs. H.  
  
"And, another of my friends, Miroku the monk."  
  
Miroku bows, as well.  
  
"I am pleased to finally meet you two in person." Mrs. H says, formally.  
  
She walks up to Sango and hugs her. "Thank you for saving the life of my daughter." She whispers into Sango's ear.  
  
"You . . . you're welcome." Sango replies, startled by the hug.  
  
Mrs. H releases Sango and moves to Miroku. He raises an eyebrow.  
  
She smiles and hugs him as well. "Thank you for helping to save the life of my daughter in so many of her adventures."  
  
Miroku, after a shocked pause, hugs her back. His hands, quickly slide down Mrs. h's back.  
  
"Miroku!" is growled out of the throats of three women. Kagome, Sango and Akane.  
  
Mrs. h releases Miroku from her hug and steps back. She waves her hand at the three girls, stopping them. "Thank you for the compliment, Miroku." She smiles at him.  
  
His mouth opens . . .  
  
She sighs, "If I was younger." She nods to Sango. "And if we were alone, I'd probably take you up on that offer, but. I won't."  
  
She smiles as she thinks, 'besides I have something else in mind.'  
  
Sango looks at Mrs. H, her chin on her chest, her mouth wide open.  
  
Akane looks at Ranma in puzzlement. Ranma shrugs in even worse puzzlement.  
  
Kagome shakes her head, 'mom, you're confusing them on purpose.' She thinks.  
  
"Where are Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru?" Mrs. H asks, as she looks around.  
  
Everyone looks at Kagome. She blushes, "They had to stay on the other side of the well, Mother. And, you'll need to return with me, through the well, as well."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Kagome licks her lips and looks at the ground, "In order to find your soul, I had to make a deal with Kikyo."  
  
"Stop." Mrs. h orders. She pauses, "do you have to return quickly?"  
  
"Huh?" After a few seconds confusion, Kagome continues, "I don't think so, mom, but, they will get suspicious if we stay on this side too long."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Mother?" Kagome asks. She can see her mother thinking hard.  
  
Mrs. h nods, sharply, once. "I would like to speak with Sango and Miroku, alone."  
  
"May I ask why?" Miroku says.  
  
Mrs. H smiles, "because, I owe you two something for all the times that you've helped my daughter. And this might be the one and only chance I have to say this to your face."  
  
Miroku and Sango look at each other. After a quick glance. Sango bows to her, "Of course, mother of Higurashi Kagome, we would be honored."  
  
Mrs. H bows back. She waves her hand at her house, "Come let's show you my house. We can put your brother in a real bed, get something to eat and drink, and then, we'll talk."  
  
Miroku and Sango, after she picks up her brother, follow her into the house, closely followed by Sota, Rin, and Shippo.  
  
Kagome looks at Akane and Ranma. Akane smiles, "We'll go home, it sounds like you've got enough to worry about."  
  
"Thank you, Akane. I was going to ask that." Kagome sighs.  
  
"I've still got problems with that Shippo." Ranma growls.  
  
"Is Sango your best friend?" Akane asks in a soft voice.  
  
Kagome nods. "You're also a very good friend." Kagome smiles, "And she's probably stronger and a better fighter than you are."  
  
Ranma's eyes spark, "Stronger and better than Akane, that's nothing, anybody." He stops talking. It's hard to do that when your flying away, from Akane's fist.  
  
"Call me." Akane says, "I would like to meet her."  
  
"I will, if I can." Kagome replies.  
  
Akane nods and leaves.  
  
Kagome enters her house.  
  
End of the chapter.  
  
Prevue chapter 11 the Higurashi family.  
  
"For your friendship with my daughter, and for all the help that you've given her, I want to give you something." Mrs. H begins.  
  
"I want to give you the best thing that I can give you." Kagome's mother continues.  
  
"I would like to adopt you."

* * *

Authors' note: Thank you for the all warm responses to my question last chapters. Most, the overwhelming majority, in fact, were highly supportive. Thank you.  
  
A couple mentioned that since I've gone beyond a simple kag/sess storyline that might be the problem. Perhaps. But, Kagome Where are you was strictly a kag/sess storyline.  
  
Kagome's return is not. In addition to wrapping up the sess/kag/inu triangle. (Which also means I've got to deal with the kag/inu/kikyo triangle.) Kagome's return includes parts of three other major storylines. The final fight with Naraku (that part is over) A storyline with Mrs H, Sango and Miroku, which is about to begin. (But it's short, so don't worry about that.) And the set up for my major storyline: Kagome: goddess of Japan. (Part is of it over, and the other part will finish this story.)  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	12. the Higurashi family

Kagome's Return chapter 11: The Higurashi Family . . .  
  
author's note: in my story: When friends find out. Kagome's three girl friends from school, find out about the well. Since then, Kagome has told them, in rough detail, about her adventures.  
  
from chapter 10:  
  
"Where are Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru?" Mrs. H asks, as she looks around.  
  
Everyone looks at Kagome. She blushes, "They had to stay on the other side of the well, Mother. And, you'll need to return with me, through the well, as well."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Kagome licks her lips and looks at the ground, "In order to find your soul, I had to make a deal with Kikyo."  
  
"Stop." Mrs. h orders. She pauses, "do you have to return quickly?"  
  
"Huh?" After a few seconds confusion, Kagome continues, "I don't think so, mom, but, they will get suspicious if we stay on this side too long."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Mother?" Kagome asks. She can see her mother thinking hard.  
  
Mrs. h nods, sharply, once. "I would like to speak with Sango and Miroku, alone."  
  
"May I ask why?" Miroku says.  
  
Mrs. H smiles, "because, I owe you two something for all the times that you've helped my daughter. And this might be the one and only chance I have to say this to your face."  
  
Miroku and Sango look at each other. After a quick glance, Sango bows to her, "Of course, mother of Higurashi Kagome, we would be honored."  
  
Mrs. H bows back. She waves her hand at her house, "Come, let's show you my house. We can put your brother in a real bed, get something to eat and drink, and then, we'll talk."  
  
Miroku and Sango, after she picks up her brother, follow her into the house, closely followed by Sota, Rin, and Shippo.  
  
Kagome looks at Akane and Ranma. Akane smiles, "We'll go home, it sounds like you've got enough to worry about."  
  
"Thank you, Akane. I was going to ask that." Kagome sighs.  
  
"I've still got problems with that Shippo." Ranma growls.  
  
"Is Sango your best friend?" Akane asks in a soft voice.  
  
Kagome nods. "You're also a very good friend." Kagome smiles, "And she's probably stronger and a better fighter than you are."  
  
Ranma's eyes spark, "Stronger and better than Akane, that's nothing, anybody." He stops talking. It's hard to do that when your flying away, thanks to Akane's fist.  
  
"Call me." Akane says, "I would like to meet her."  
  
"I will, if I can." Kagome replies.  
  
Akane nods and leaves.  
  
Kagome enters her house.  
  
Kagome's grandfather body is left at the base of the god tree, for now.  
  
On the other side of the well . . .  
  
"How long before they return?" Kikyo asks as she glares at the empty well.  
  
Sesshomaru, also looking at the well, but from the other side of the well from her, remarks, "It could be a while. She'll no doubt have to explain what happened to her parents. And, Rin, Shippo and her little brother were apparently left alone. Who knows what chaos they created?"  
  
Kikyo's lips curl in disgust.  
  
Inu-yasha, standing next to Kikyo, adds, "There is also Sango's brother. She'll want to do something about him. From Kagome's stories, sometimes it takes a while for a doctor to show up, and since Sango's brother, isn't from her world, that also might cause problems. She was always going on and on about me being careful. She didn't want me to show myself, since I wasn't from her world, that would be problems." Inu-yasha pauses. "I never really understood the details."  
  
Kirara looks on from the trees and thinks, 'I've also heard Miroku and Sango, especially, talk about all the miracle items on that side of the well. I'm sure that they'd want to explore Kagome's home.'  
  
"Master!" Jakken calls as he, finally, shows up. Sesshomaru looks at him. "Where have you been?"  
  
"My lord and master!" Jakken falls onto his belly in front of Sesshomaru's feet. "I beg your forgiveness!"  
  
"Forgiveness? For what?" Sesshomaru's voice is low and hard.  
  
"For not organizing a rescue."  
  
"Insignificant." Sesshomaru interrupts, "Why was Rin injured while you were supposed to protect her?"  
  
Jakken's eyes pick up a Sesshomaru's face. He buries his face into the dirt. "Naraku tricked me, lord, and then, when he attacked, I was injured and I'm only just getting to my feet."  
  
Sesshomaru bends down and picks up Jakken. "Rin will be here soon. You will find and make a bouquet of flowers for her. You will apologize to her for your incompetence. IF she is unhappy with the flowers, you will die. If she is unhappy with your apology, you will die. IF you fall in this, you will die a long and horrible death."  
  
Sesshomaru throws Jakken over the horizon.  
  
Back on Kagome's side on the well . . .  
  
"Kagome, why don't you and Sango place her brother in your room?" Mrs. H suggests. "That way you can show her your room." Kagome nods. "I'll call nurse Chika and ask her to come by. And, I've got to call your three friends, Kagome."  
  
Mrs. H fakes a glare at Sota, Rin and Shippo, "they were supposed to be here, to watch the children."  
  
"I am not a child." Shippo growls.  
  
Mrs. H raises her eyebrow, "Are you not my grandchild?"  
  
Shippo opens his mouth, then closes it.  
  
Sango, as she was following Kagome to the stairs, stops and blurts out, "You finally adopted Shippo, Kagome?"  
  
Kagome turns and nods. "Yes. During my travels, I had a chance to really think about things. And that was one of my decisions."  
  
"A wise decision." Miroku nods. "And, if you don't mind me saying, overdue."  
  
Kagome nods to Miroku. "Shippo?" she bends down. He runs to her and she picks him up. "You're right, Miroku. Too be truthful . . . "She pauses, "I was always afraid to make a permanent connection to anyone from our group."  
  
"The well?" Sango asks.  
  
Kagome sighs, "I . . . That was the excuse I used." She shifts Shippo to her shoulder and reaches out to grasp Sango's hand. "But, it was a lie. I was afraid of the commitment."  
  
"And now?" Sango asks, quietly.  
  
"And now, I tired of waiting. I'm through with delaying. Choices will be made." Kagome says, in a low, hard voice.  
  
"I see." Miroku hisses.  
  
Sango nods.  
  
Kagome looks at Sango, she sighs, "come on, up to my room. We can put your brother on my bed, and we can talk, until the nurse shows up."  
  
Kagome, with Shippo on her shoulder walks up the stairs. Sango, looking around, with her unconscious brother in her arms, follows her.  
  
Miroku looks around the living room, his eyes pausing at each new object.  
  
"Sota, please get our guests a coke or a can of tea, please. I need to make some phone calls." Mrs. h orders. She looks at Miroku. "I would make some tea, but, time is of an essence, so I will use some modern shortcuts."  
  
He bows his head to her. "I have tasted Kagome's canned drinks before, and have enjoyed them."  
  
Mrs. H picks up the phone. "Your opinion?"  
  
"Of the tea?" He pauses, "I've tasted worse, sometime much worse. And I've tasted better. The drink she calls coke, I have nothing to compare it to."  
  
Mrs. h smiles, "thank you, Miroku." She dials the phone.  
  
Sota returns with a can of coke for Miroku and Rin. They accept and sip. He goes over and turns on the TV. "This something I know that you guys don't have." He says, proudly, like he was the inventory of TV. He flips the channel to his favorite anime.  
  
"Is that real?" Rin asks as she sits next to Sota. Miroku is, also, paying very close attention. "Nah. It's just cartoons." He flips the channel to a news channel. "That's real."  
  
The news channel begins to show a commercial . . . about a new beach resort opening on Okinawa. The commercial, of course, features several female models almost not wearing some bikinis . . .  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Miroku?" Mrs. H says as she taps his shoulder.  
  
He blinks and looks around the room. Everyone is staring at him. He closes his mouth, blinking some more as he releases that he opened his mouth without thinking. He clears his throat. "Excuse me. The customs of this time." He begins to explain.  
  
Mrs. H smiles, and it grows. "It's fine, Miroku. I understand."  
  
The front door bell rings.  
  
"Sota, if you could, please answer that."  
  
Sota opens the door. Kagome's three friends, Yuka, Eri and Ayumi are standing in the doorway. They are wearing their traditional school clothing.  
  
Ayumi, as soon as, the door opens, begins to speak, "We're sorry, Mrs. Higurashi, Eri had a problem, so we're late . . . "her voice trails off as she sees Rin and Miroku in the room.  
  
"Hi! I'm Rin!" Rin stands up and bows to the three girls.  
  
Miroku, his eyes gleaming, bows as well.  
  
"Ayumi, Eri and Yuka, may I present a couple of friends of my daughters, Rin and the monk Miroku."  
  
Miroku bows again, "It is a pleasure to meet new friends of Kagome."  
  
"Rin?" "Miroku?" "From the well?" the three girls ask at the same time.  
  
"Yes. From the well." Mrs. H replies. "Sango and her brother are here as well. But, he is hurt, so, please stay downstairs."  
  
"Kagome?" "Inu-yasha?" "Are they here?" the girls ask.  
  
"Kagome is upstairs, but Inu-yasha is on the other side of the well, for now." Mrs. H replies. She pauses, and looks around, "I hate to be abrupt, girls. But, I would like some time alone with Miroku and Sango." She smiles, "especially before you three decide to give them the third degree."  
  
"Mrs. H!" Eri cries. "We'd never."  
  
"You'd never spend a couple of hours quizzing Miroku over the differences between the different sides of the well? Or about his adventures?" She interrupts.  
  
The three girls look at each other. They look at Miroku, who is faintly smiling.  
  
Yuka sighs, and says, "Ok, Mrs. H. We would. What do you want us to do?"  
  
"Just be here with Rin and Sota for now. Shippo is upstairs with Kagome and Sango. If any of them come downstairs, you can visit. But, please, don't go upstairs."  
  
"Why?" Ayumi asks in an anguished tone.  
  
"Because Sango's brother is hurt and he is upstairs, and I don't want them bothered." Mrs. H says in a hard voice. "Chika will be by in a few minutes, let her up, but otherwise, please stay downstairs."  
  
The three girls look at each other, sigh, and chorus, "yes."  
  
"Thank you," Mrs. H bows. She turns to Miroku and grabbing his arm, guides him to her room. "I would like to talk to you, alone."  
  
"It is always my pleasure to enter a bedroom." He replies.  
  
Kagome's three girlfriends giggle, as they hear that.  
  
Mrs. h's mother quirks upward. "I'm sure it is. But that is not why I wish to speak with you." She says in a low voice.  
  
He nods.  
  
Mrs. H closes the door behind them. She waves to the bed, "Please sit."  
  
Miroku, after a quick look around the room, pats the bed and sits down on it. "Is this similar to what Kagome sleeps on?" he asks.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Miroku smiles, "Now I know why she occasionally complains about laying on rocks. Very soft." He says. 'I wonder, what it would be like to make love on something this soft?' a gleams appears in his eyes.  
  
Mrs. H, who is still standing, smiles, "And, I am sorry, but I won't be giving you a demonstration about how it feels when making love."  
  
He sighs.  
  
"However, if you and Sango wish to use it, I can sleep elsewhere."  
  
He pats the bed, feeling the satin sheets. "We may not have time. We are needed on the other side of the well."  
  
"Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru are about to fight?" Mrs. h asks.  
  
He shakes his head, no. "Not yet, but something is happening between them." He quirks an eyebrow at her. "Kagome?"  
  
"That is for her to say." She replies. "But if it's not them, than who? Since I'm alive, and since Sango's brother is alive, I assume you won against Naraku?"  
  
"Naraku is dead."  
  
"Good."  
  
"In order to find your and your father's soul, Kagome had to make a deal with Kikyo. She is waiting." he says in a low, dead voice.  
  
Mrs. h blanches at that. She sighs, "It's time for that to be resolved."  
  
He nods. "And, she wishes to see you, alive, so, you'll have to come with us."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
Kagome's mother shakes herself. 'I've thought about Kikyo, ever since Kagome confessed to me about her. I wonder what can I say to her?' she thinks.  
  
Miroku clears his throat. "You did wish to speak with me about something?"  
  
Mrs. h draws in a deep breath. "I do." Her mouth twists into a smile. 'What a thing to say to a monk, especially one that I know would be happy to enjoy a marriage bed.'  
  
He raises an eyebrow at her smile.  
  
She sits down beside him. She reaches out for his hand, the hand that never had the curse, "May I?" she asks as she gently grabs it.  
  
He nods and allows her to hold his hand. She squeezes it softly. 'His hand, the callouses on it and I can see small scars on it. His life was never a simple one.' She thinks.  
  
"Miroku, tell me the truth, please." She begins to say in a low voice. "I know that your father is dead."  
  
"Yes." He replies. 'Where is she going with this?' he thinks. 'Is she asking me these questions because of Kagome? As a possible match with her?'  
  
"Your mother?"  
  
"She died giving birth to me." He replies in a dead voice. "I've always suspected that my curse sucked her soul out."  
  
Mrs. H squeezes his hand hard. "I am sorry." She whispers.  
  
"Any other living relatives?"  
  
"An old monk that raised me as his son, but no one else."  
  
Mrs. H scoots closer to him, releases his hand and places her arm around his shoulders.  
  
He looks at her face, which so close to his . . .  
  
"For your friendship with my daughter, and for all the help that you've given her, I want to give you something." Mrs. H begins to whisper.  
  
'What?' he thinks. 'She isn't?'  
  
"I want to give you the best thing that I can give you." Kagome's mother continues. "My family."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"I would like to adopt you."  
  
Miroku clears his throat. He looks down at his hand. Her other hand has reached across her body and has captured it. He opens his mouth, then closes it. "Lady Higurashi." He begins.  
  
"Please call me mother."  
  
Another pause.  
  
"You are aware of the practical problems?" he says, finally, as he avoids calling her anything.  
  
Mrs. h shrugs. "That, in all likelihood we'll never see each other again. That, except for the letters that Kagome can bring through the well, we'll never communicate with each other, again. I am aware of them. And I refuse to let them change my mind."  
  
"But . . . "He begins to say.  
  
"Shsh. Let me finish." Kimiko Higurashi says in a low voice. "I've been considering this for a long time, Miroku. I've even written letters to you, offering this." Her lip's quirk into a smile. "But, I've always held off. I've always been hoping that, when I did it, I would be able to look into your eyes."  
  
She releases his hand, grabs his chin and looks into his eyes. "Please, address me."  
  
They stare into each other eyes . . .  
  
He looks away and quickly stands up.  
  
"Miroku?" she asks in a hurt voice, "Why? Were you really planning on asking for my daughter's hand in marriage?"  
  
Miroku shakes his head, no. "Not really, oh, I've dreamed of that. But that was nothing more than a dream." He pauses, then. "I've always been alone." He replies in a low voice.  
  
"Is joining my family that terrible?"  
  
He twirls and looks at her. "Terrible?" he says in a strained voice. "Never." His eyes cloud up and he twirls away from her.  
  
"Miroku?" Mrs. H stands up and moves behind him. She gently places her hands on his shoulders. He stiffens, but doesn't move. "Son?"  
  
"I've never called anyone mother before." His voice is choked with emotion. "I've been offered many, many precious and beautiful things in my travels. But this? How can I accept?"  
  
"How can you refuse?" she whispers.  
  
A pause. He slowly turns around. They look into each other eyes.  
  
"Mother." Miroku whispers.  
  
Mrs. H hugs him, tightly. "Thank you."  
  
He hugs her, tightly. "I should warn you, I may not be a perfect son." He whispers. "I never thought that you would be." She pauses and in a light, teasing voice, says. "However, I did think that you might've waited a few minutes before squeezing my ass." She does not stop hugging him.  
  
He clears his throat. "Ahhmm?"  
  
Mrs. H, finally releases him from her hug. She steps back away from him. "In case something does happen to the well, I do want you to help Kagome."  
  
He nods. "Of course."  
  
Mrs. H reaches up and caresses his cheek. "I wish . . . I wish that you could live here. I wish that I could remove you from the violence in that world. But, I can't."  
  
He slowly nods, "Thank you." He whispers.  
  
Mrs. h clears her throat. She turns from him and begins to rummage through some drawers in her chest. "I have something in here." She says as she's looking. "For you. Kagome had something similar in her bag, but, I noticed that during her travels that bag got lost, and so did most of the items in it."  
  
"May I ask what it is?" he asks.  
  
Mrs. h turns around and hands him a rolled up magazine. "A gift. From me and Kagome."  
  
Miroku unrolls the magazine. His eyes open wide. He looks at Mrs. H. She nods. "I would suggest that you don't show it to Sango."  
  
Miroku looks at the magazine and then back at his adopted mother. "I never would have thought . . . "he says. He bows, low to her. "I will treasure it."  
  
He places the x-rated, fetish magazine into his robes . . .  
  
She smiles. "I would like to make the announcement about you joining my family, at my time and place of my choosing."  
  
"Of course." He nods.  
  
"Come on." She grabs his hand and begins to lead him to the others. "I want to talk to Sango, and then, I'll make the announcement."  
  
"I understand." He says as he follows her.  
  
"Oh, Miroku, my son." His adopted mother whispers, "I would greatly appreciate it, if Kagome's three girl friends don't interrupt Sango and I." "I knew that there was a reason that I hesitated accepting your offer." He whispers his replies, humor in his voice. "Now, I have to follow orders."  
  
"And?" she replies humor in her voice.  
  
He sighs. "I can watch that TV thing?"  
  
"I'll tell them to find something, like a swimsuit contest, for you to watch."  
  
A few minutes later.  
  
Mrs. H opens the door to Kagome's room. Kagome and Sango are standing next to her bed. Sango's brother, still unconscious is on it. Shippo left earlier and is downstairs.  
  
The nurse and family friend, Chika, is also the room.  
  
"Well?" Mrs. H asks as she closes the door.  
  
Chika purses her lips. "As far as I can tell, he's physically heathy. From the story that Kagome and Sango told me, I'd say that he's suffering from some sort of psychological problem." She sighs. "I'll know more once he wakes up. But, Kimiko, psych isn't my forte."  
  
"Sango?" Mrs. H asks.  
  
Sango, whose face is showing some dried tear tracks, says, "I don't know what to do . . . "  
  
Kagome grabs her friend's shoulders and whispers, "everything will be fine, Sango. All that mind control. It had to hurt him. I trust Tenseiga. He'll be better when he wakes up."  
  
"Tenseiga . . . "Chika whispers, shaking her head as she remembers the explanation that she was given.  
  
"He's welcome to stay here, Sango. As long as necessary." Kagome's mother states.  
  
"You mean that?" Sango asks. "But, you've never."  
  
"Shhh." Mrs. H says, "I'm not going to kick him or you out of my house. Ever."  
  
Sango looks at Kagome. Kagome smiles. "My mother means that."  
  
Sango replies. "I know. It's just." She sighs, "I wish I could do more."  
  
Kagome squeezes her shoulder. "I know. So, do I." Kagome thinks, 'I'd hate to have to try to enter his soul, like I did Sesshomaru's. That was an act of desperation, doing that trying to fix his mind, I don't know if I could do that again.'  
  
"Sango?" Mrs. H asks, "I would like to speak with you, alone?"  
  
Sango looks at Kagome and Chika. "He'll be fine. If there's any change, I'll call you." Kagome says.  
  
"Of course, Kagome." Mrs. h nods.  
  
Sango nods, "I would like to speak with you as well, mother of Kagome."  
  
Kagome and Chika remain in the room. Chika begins to ask Kagome about Tenseiga and her healing spells.  
  
As Sango and Kagome's mother past through the living room, Shippo, with his shape-changing, and Miroku are playacting some of the fights that they've been in. (Both of them are showing off for the girls . . . )  
  
In Mrs. H's room.  
  
"Please sit." Mrs. h says as she points to the bed.  
  
Sango sits down and looks at her. "Lady Higurashi?"  
  
Mrs. h smiles, "please, not so formal."  
  
Sango nods.  
  
Mrs. H sighs, "he's your only living relative, right?"  
  
Sango replies. "There are a few distance cousins, but, I've never met them."  
  
Mrs. H sits next to Sango. She reaches out and grabs Sango's hand. 'It's even more calloused and even harder than Miroku's.'  
  
Sango looks at Kagome's mother, a silent question in her eyes.  
  
"You are my daughter's best friend." Mrs. h begins. "You've helped save her life in. . . . I don't know, how many adventures."  
  
Sango nods, "yes, but what are you asking about?"  
  
"I want to give you something, Sango." Mrs. h pauses, "I want to give you the best thing that I have." 'Is she?' Sango thinks.  
  
"My family. Sango, I would like you to become my adopted daughter."  
  
Sango hugs Mrs. h, who returns the hug.  
  
A few minutes pass, as they hug. Both cry, as well.  
  
Sango eventually breaks the hug. "I've got one question." She wipes the tears from her eyes.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Since you talked with Miroku, did you offer him the same?"  
  
Mrs. h smiles, "yes, I did."  
  
Sango looks away, "aaaa. I don't know how to say this."  
  
"What about if you and him decide to stay together?" Mrs. h asks, a smile on her lips.  
  
Sango nods.  
  
Mrs. H, continues to smile, "Most mothers only have one reason to be joyous on wedding days. I'll have two. I think would be wonderful."  
  
Sango's mother drops open. She squeaks out, "you mean that?"  
  
Mrs. H nods. "Of course." She sighs, "chances are I'm not going to be there, with the well and all. But, other than that, I'll be happy."  
  
"Laws?"  
  
Kagome's mother snorts, "what laws." After a second's pause, she continues. "You don't exist on this side of the well. There can be no paperwork. And if I have to create some, I can easily name you and him as my blood children. And on the other side of the well, there will only be Kagome. Both of you can claim to be her siblings, and no one would know the difference."  
  
She hugs Sango. "All I want, all I've ever wanted for Kagome, Sota and my family, is for them to be happy."  
  
"Are you sure?" Sango asks in a quiet voice.  
  
"Yes." Mrs. H says in a very definite tone. "I want you to be my daughter." She smiles, "I've always wanted a second daughter."  
  
Sango smiles, "What about Shippo?"  
  
Mrs. H smiles back, "My family is increasing. I love that. And, Once Kikyo is disposed of, my family will grow some more."  
  
"Are you sure about that?" Sango asks.  
  
Kagome's mother nods, vigorously. "Of course. Everything will work out." She smiles, a little crookedly, "Of course, it may not work as planned, and there will be surprises, but. Kagome is my princess and she will live happily ever after."  
  
"I wish." Sango whispers, "I had your faith . . . "  
  
Mrs. H hugs her. "Borrow mine."  
  
A pause as they hug each other.  
  
"Sango?" Mrs. h whispers. "Do you accept?"  
  
"Yes, mother." Sango whispers.  
  
End chapter 11  
  
prevue chapter 12 Kagome vs. Kikyo  
  
"Inu-yasha." Kagome says in a very tight and controlled voice, suppressing her emotions. "If you wish to go with Kikyo, I will not stop you. I love you enough that I trust you make your own decisions."  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	13. kagome vs kikyo

Kagome's return chapter 12  
  
Kagome vs. kikyo  
  
Kagome's mother hugs Sango. "All I want, all I've ever wanted for Kagome, Sota and my family, is for them to be happy."  
  
"Are you sure?" Sango asks in a quiet voice.  
  
"Yes." Mrs. H says in a very definite tone. "I want you to be my daughter." She smiles, "I've always wanted a second daughter."  
  
Sango smiles, "What about Shippo?"  
  
Mrs. H smiles back, "My family is increasing. I love that. And, Once Kikyo is disposed of, my family will grow some more."  
  
"Are you sure about that?" Sango asks.  
  
Kagome's mother nods, vigorously. "Of course. Everything will work out." She smiles, a little crookedly, "Of course, it may not work as planned, and there will be surprises, but. Kagome is my princess and she will live happily ever after."  
  
"I wish." Sango whispers, "I had your faith . . . "  
  
Mrs. H hugs her. "Borrow mine."  
  
A pause as they hug each other.  
  
"Sango?" Mrs. h whispers. "Do you accept?"  
  
"Yes, mother." Sango whispers.  
  
A timeless pause as they hug and cry on each other's shoulders.  
  
"What about Kohaku?" Sango asks, as she finally stops crying.  
  
"What about him, my daughter?"  
  
Sango tingles as she hears that term come out, so naturally.  
  
"He is your brother, and because of that, he is part of my family. I will, to the best of my ability, get him the best medical help I can. If he stays hours, or if he stays in my house the rest of his life, that doesn't matter."  
  
"How can you?" Sango begins, then stops, confused about how to continue.  
  
"How can I, what?"  
  
"Be so. . . . giving."  
  
Mrs. H smiles, "I trust my daughter. She has lived, fought, and grown up beside you. She's always had a problem with the well. She loves you. All of you, but she's was always afraid of the well. But, now, with the adoption of Shippo, and her relationship with Sesshomaru, she's making her choices."  
  
'Her relationship with Sesshomaru?' Sango asks. 'Does that mean what I think it does?'  
  
"And, having you join my family was a decision that I made a long time ago. But, I've held off acing on it, because of Kagome's feelings. Now, that's not a problem."  
  
"You had this planned?" Sango asks in wonderment.  
  
Mrs. h nods. "Of course. Now, it's time to announce it." She stands up, lifting Sango as she does so. "Let's introduce you and your brother."  
  
Sango's face twists, "I don't know about using that term."  
  
"With Miroku?" Mrs. h asks  
  
Sango nods. She whispers, "We haven't had time to be alone."  
  
Kagome's mother stops, "And, he promised?"  
  
Sango's mouth twists, "Not in that many words, but." Her fist closes, her knuckles click as she pops them. "IF not, he will regret it."  
  
Mrs. h looks at her fist. She covers it with her hand, "what you chose to call each other, or what Kagome chooses to call you, is something for you to decide. No matter what the name, though, you are part of my family."  
  
Sango takes a deep breath.  
  
Mrs. h smiles, "And if he is so stupid, as to say something like, 'Since we're now brother and sister, so I can't marry you.'. Tell me." Her teeth show between her lips. "These last few years I've only rarely lost my temper. I am not a pleasant person when that happens."  
  
Sango looks into her mother's eyes, and looks away. 'I would not want her to look at me in that way . . . '  
  
Mrs. H leads Sango into the living room. As she goes upstairs to fetch Kagome, Miroku raises his eyebrow, in a silent question to Sango. Sango nods her head. He purses his lips, and nods back.  
  
Ayumi bows, and introduces herself to Sango. "Um. Sango. I've always wanted to ask this question, ever since Kagome told us about you."  
  
Sango politely asks, "And, what is the question?"  
  
Eri pops up beside her, "How strong are you?"  
  
"Eri!" Ayumi says as she spins around to yell at her friend.  
  
Sango smiles, 'How many times, especially after an adventure, have I had the girls of the villages that we've saved, ask me the same question?' She thinks with amusement.  
  
"Does anyone have a knife, or something like it?" She asks.  
  
"I'll get one!"Sota calls as he runs to the kitchen.  
  
Mrs. H and Kagome walk down the stairs as Sota returns with a butcher knife.  
  
"Lady." Sango starts to say, as she looks at Mrs. h, then, she pauses, confused about exactly how she should address her new mother.  
  
Kagome looks at Sango and the knife, and her friends. She smirks, "showing off your strength?" she asks. 'Sango has done this trick many times, especially for the amusement of kids of the villages we've traveled through.' She thinks.  
  
Sango, looking at Kagome, like a lifesaver, and finding it easier to talk to Kagome, anyway, says, "Yes, Kagome. Your friends wanted to know how strong I am." She holds up the butcher knife. "I was, with your mother's permission, of course," she nods to MRS. H. "Going to use this."  
  
Mrs. H nods back, "Feel free, Sango."  
  
Sango nods. She places the knife, the blunt side toward her and weaves her fingers on either side of the blade. "How strong am I?" She asks as she smiles.  
  
She makes a fist with her hand holding the knife, crumpling it in the process.  
  
Her eyebrows raise, "your knife was stronger than many blades that I've done this too." She bows to Mrs. H. "I am sorry, if this was expensive."  
  
"Not really, Sango. Stainless steel, nothing special. I can get a new blade very quickly and without any problems."  
  
Sango hands the crumpled knife to Ayumi. Ayumi, her mouth hanging open, accepts it.  
  
Mrs. H clears her throat. "Could Miroku and Sango please stand beside me?" she has moved to the front of the room, and she motions for Kagome to stand back.  
  
Sango and Miroku, both of them holding their faces as still as possible, walk to their new mother.  
  
As they stand on either side of her, Mrs. h places her arms around their shoulders. "I have an announcement to make." She begins to speak in a loud, formal voice.  
  
Kagome, after a quick glance at Sango's and Miroku's faces, stares her mother in the eyes. She thinks, 'She wouldn't, would she? She's mentioned it a few times, but, I always thought it was a joke.'  
  
"Today, the Higurashi family lost my father in battle." Mrs. H begins. "He died, as he wished, as a man. But, today is not a day of sadness."  
  
Everyone in the room sits or stands straighter as she speaks.  
  
"Today is a day of happiness." Mrs. h continues. She nods to Kagome. "My daughter, Kagome, has adopted the kitsune Shippo as her son and my grandson." She nods to Shippo. Shippo stands, blushes and looks at his feet.  
  
"I wanted to do that." Yuka hisses to her friends. They nod and hiss back. "We all did."  
  
"And I, as the head of the Higurashi family, have also added to the family."  
  
Everyone looks at Sango and Miroku. Even Chika, who is watching from the top of the stairs, can guess about what's next, but, everyone lets Mrs. h finish.  
  
"As of today, the Monk Miroku and the demon exterminator Sango are part of my family." She announces.  
  
Miroku and Sango bow, deeply.  
  
"Cool!" Sota croons out.  
  
Kagome rushes her mother, and her two new family members, her arms spread wide. She captures all three of them in a hug. "Mother." She begins to say. "I don't know what to say."  
  
Rin happily claps, loudly. After an almost unnoticeable pause, Kagome's three friends begin to clap and comment, loudly, about how lucky Kagome is.  
  
From the top of the stairs, Chika also claps.  
  
Shippo claps as well, but he is looking back and forth between Sango and Miroku, obviously trying to decide exactly what this will mean.  
  
"Do you like your new brother and sister?" Higurashi Kimiko asks Kagome as they hug.  
  
"Yes!" Kagome cries, tears forming in her eyes. "Both Sango and Miroku, even with those wandering hands of yours," She says in an aside to Miroku. Who, of course, slides his hands further down Kagome's back, so it rests on her ass. "I've felt closer to them than just friends, but I could never figure out how to say it."  
  
She glares at Miroku, "And not give you the wrong idea."  
  
Miroku smiles. "Ah, my new sister Kagome, what is the wrong idea?"  
  
"That you can grab her ass." Sango growls as she reaches out, in the group hug and pinches his shoulder. The shoulder to the arm that is grabbing Kagome's ass. Her fingers press down, and Miroku quickly removes his hand. Sango removes the pressure on his shoulder.  
  
"Please, children." Mrs. H says as she continues to hug them.  
  
"It's nothing." Sango replies. She opens her mouth.  
  
MRS. h smiles and whispers, "come on, daughter you can say it."  
  
Sango glances at Kagome and Miroku, both of whom are watching her. Sango smiles and in firm voice, says, "mother." A pause. Her new mother nods. "I was just informing my new brother about what I dislike."  
  
Mrs. H turns her head to Miroku and raises an eyebrow.  
  
He sighs, "I will watch my hands." He says in a long-suffering tone. Mrs. H coughs. "Mother." He adds. She smiles.  
  
Mrs. h raises an eyebrow. "Which means, that in addition to pinching my daughter's ass, you're also going to ogle it as you watch your hands, as well?"  
  
Miroku opens his mouth in surprise.  
  
Sango and Kagome look at each. Kagome begins to giggle. Sango catches it and passes to her new mother.  
  
Miroku, a slightly hurt look on his face, tries to break the hug, only to have his new mother grip him tighter. "I not laughing at you, my son. But with you."  
  
"But, but" Miroku sputters.  
  
"Respect their wishes, my son." Mrs. H declares. She glances at Kagome and Sango. "And you two should, also, respect his."  
  
Shippo pips up, "then, since he wishes to grab their ass's, they should let him?"  
  
Mrs. h gazes at her new grandson and says, "If they wish to. Nobody will force anyone to do something that they don't want."  
  
"Well?" Miroku asks, as he spreads his arms, breaking the group hug.  
  
Everyone stands back. Kagome and Sango look at each other. "Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru will dislike it, immensely, Miroku should you hand touch me, inappropriately. So, I will say no, to protect you." Kagome says.  
  
Miroku, Shippo and Sango raise eyebrows at the Sesshomaru part of that statement.  
  
Miroku sighs. "An overprotective sister . . . and here I thought that as her brother, I'd have to protect her."  
  
Everyone in the room, giggles at that.  
  
Miroku and Sango stare at each other. She drops her gaze to his hand, the one that is still covered by his gauntlet. He follows her gaze. "I would like to speak to you alone." He whispers.  
  
Sango, her face reddening, nods. "As you wish, Miroku, I will withhold my judgment until then." She whispers.  
  
A silent pause covers the room.  
  
"Why aren't you going some place right now?" Yuka asks  
  
Miroku looks at Kagome's friend. He sighs, "because, we are still in the middle of several problems." He nods to Sango. "Her little brother is still hurt, and I would like to wait until we know more about him."  
  
Sango nods. "That, also, is my wish." She adds, backing him up.  
  
"My other sister, Kagome." Miroku nods to her. "Is in the middle of another confrontation with Kikyo. Which, it pains me to say, can't be avoided too much longer. And I would also prefer to wait until that confrontation is solved." Kagome, her face full of stress as she thinks about Kikyo, nods.  
  
"And," Sango adds, interrupting, "depending on how that turns out, I'd also like to know what happened while you were gone, Kagome." Kagome looks at Sango, desperation in her eyes. "I want to know what happened between you and Sesshomaru."  
  
Kagome swallows and looks at the ground.  
  
As she is trying to come up with an answer, Shippo pipes up, "I know what happened."  
  
Kagome glares at Shippo. "No, you don't Shippo!" She barks at him, then continues, "You only know something, but not everything." She sighs, heavily. "I'd really like to tell you, Sango," she looks around the room, "And all of you. But, Inu-yasha deserves to hear it first."  
  
Mrs. h grips her natural daughter's shoulders, "We understand, don't we." She says as she glares at the room.  
  
The room, after recovering from that glare, all choruses, "yes."  
  
Another pause, then Mrs. H says, "what is next?"  
  
"My brother?" Sango asks  
  
"He's doing fine," Chika says from the top of the stairs. She starts to walk down stairs, Sango tries to follow her, but her eyes catch Miroku mouthing words to Shippo.  
  
Shippo is nodding, and with one hand his fingers make a circle, and with the other hand, he moves his index finger into and out of the circle.  
  
Sango, as she walks to Chika, steps hard on Miroku's foot, distracting him.  
  
Chika, now the center of attention, continues, "until he wakes up, I'm not going to know more, but, right now, he's fine."  
  
"How long before he wakes up?" Sango asks.  
  
Chika shakes her head, no. "I don't know. It could be instantly. It could be longer." She pauses, then continues, "If I had to make a guess, I'd say longer, rather than shorter, just based on the stories I was told."  
  
"Why?" one of Kagome's friends asks.  
  
"He was mind controlled, and who knows what that did to his mind, and then a magic sword is supposed to have cured him?" Chika replies, shaking her head at the unusual circumstances. "Either it didn't, in which cases he should already be screaming from a nightmare, or it did work, and in that case, I'd expect him to rest a long time, as his mind adjusts to what happened."  
  
"Oh." Sango replies.  
  
Miroku, after a glance Kagome, asks, "So, we could leave him alone for a few hours, without danger?"  
  
Kagome, after hearing the question, grimaces. She knows what he is hinting at. 'I'd rather not have to deal with Kikyo right now. The death of my grandfather, mother's adopting Sango and Miroku. Even waiting for Miroku to propose to Sango are things that I'd rather be doing something about, rather than dealing with Kikyo and Inu-yasha.' She thinks.  
  
Sango, also glaces at Kagome.  
  
Chika, after a short pause, says, "A few hours? Yes, I'd say that he is likely to remain asleep for that amount of time."  
  
"Kagome?" Sango asks, in a low voice.  
  
Kagome bites her lips. "I do not know, Sango. I thought that you would want to be here when he wakes up."  
  
Sango grimaces, "I do. But, once that happens it'll be awhile before I can do anything else. So, while he is asleep, we need to take of anything and everything else."  
  
"How long before Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru begin fighting?" Miroku asks.  
  
Kagome blanches and grimaces, "Not long."  
  
"Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha?" Rin asks.  
  
Kagome looks at her. "We left them on the other side of the well, with Kikyo." She sighs, heavily. 'No way around it. Sooner or later, you've got to go through the well and deal with it.' She thinks.  
  
"From the bits and pieces that I've heard," Mrs. H begins to say, "Inu- yasha, Sesshomaru and Kikyo are waiting."  
  
Kagome nods. "There was a price to bringing you back to life. Kikyo made some demands."  
  
Mrs. h nods, grimly. She looks around the room. "Chika, do you think that you," she nods to Kagome's three friends, also, "And you girls could stay and watch the house, Sango's brother, Sota, Rin, and Shippo, while we." She pauses, "take care of some unpleasant business."  
  
Chika nods, "for a few hours."  
  
Kagome's three friends nod and chorus, "sure, Mrs. h."  
  
Sota cries, "And I wanted to go through the well!"  
  
"Not this time, Sota." Kagome replies. "Soon, I promise, but not this time."  
  
"Promise?" Sota replies.  
  
Kagome nods. "I don't think that you'll like it. No tv, no air conditioning, no modern conveniences, but, I'll bring you through the well, sooner or later."  
  
"Rin wants to see Sesshomaru!" Rin begins to cry.  
  
Kagome goes over and wraps her up in a hug. "You'll be safe here. Once we've finished."  
  
"No! Rin wants Sesshomaru!" Rin cries out, interrupting Kagome.  
  
Kagome looks around the room, as she continues to hold Rin.  
  
"Rin" Sota slowly begins to say, "I've got to stay, how about we play together?"  
  
Rin looks Sota.  
  
"Girls." Mrs. H, in a low voice, says to Kagome's friends, "Rin doesn't know a thing about make-up. Would you like to raid my supplies?"  
  
Rin looks at Mrs. H. "Make-up?"  
  
Kagome s' three friend look at each other, they smile. Ayumi pipes up, "Sure, Mrs. H. We'd love to teach her about make-up."  
  
Eri, after looking at Sota, "And we've even got someone for her to practice on."  
  
Sota looks at Eri. He looks at Ayumi, then at Yuka, then finally at Rin. All of whom are grinning at him.  
  
He stands up, quickly. "Nope. No way. I'm gone!" He starts to run.  
  
Miroku glances at Mrs. h, who nods. He reaches out, and grabs Sota, as he tries to run past.  
  
"Hey!" Sota yells, "Let me go! You're supposed to be my big brother! Help me!"  
  
"I am, little brother." Miroku softly shoves Sota to Kagome s' girlfriends. "I would greatly love for three beautiful young ladies to pamper me." He smiles, as he nods to the three girls. They giggle back . . . "I'm sure that you'll find it enjoyable. I know that I would."  
  
Kagome's three girlfriends, and Rin, gang tackle Sota, and begin to frog march him to Mrs. h's room. "Help!" Sota cries!  
  
"I'm going." Shippo declares. He is standing up, his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at Kagome.  
  
"Shippo?" Kagome begins, "please."  
  
Shippo shakes his head, no. "I stayed last time, against my better judgment. This time, I'm going. Kikyo isn't going to hurt me, like Naraku would."  
  
"But." Kagome begins to say.  
  
"Besides," Shippo continues, "you'll need me."  
  
"Why?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Who else can tell you if kikyo is trying something with magic?" Shippo says. He nods to Miroku, "Miroku knows some things, and maybe Sesshomaru knows some things too, but I know about magic. And she's not likely to think that I'm a threat, so she'll ignore me."  
  
Kagome looks around, but, nobody is giving her any help.  
  
"Besides, if Inu-yasha is going to hell, I want to give him the proper send off." Shippo growls.  
  
'Hmm.' Kagome thinks, 'I wonder . . . Inu-yasha and Shippo, I wonder, he could get so mad at Shippo that he forgets to go with Kikyo. I've seen him get so involved with chasing Shippo . . . It's worth the attempt.'  
  
Kagome opens her arms, "come here, Shippo. I'll let you come."  
  
Shippo runs to Kagome and hugs her, she hugs her son. "Do you want me to give him some crabs or lice? So, he can itch and scratch himself raw?" Shippo whispers. "Or would you like kikyo to have them?"  
  
"Shippo!" Kagome cries.  
  
"Hey! It's an idea!" he replies. "And it's a good one!"  
  
Kagome sighs, but she stands up, picking Shippo up in the process. She looks around. Questions are in the eyes of everyone around her. She shakes her head, "It's nothing."  
  
"It's not nothing." Shippo mumbles under his breath.  
  
Kagome looks around, again, "Do we go, now or?"  
  
Kagome's mother, Miroku, Sango and Miroku look at each other and Kagome. Sango sighs, "I'd like to have a sword. Just in case Kikyo decides to get physical."  
  
Miroku nods. "A staff would be useful."  
  
"Mother?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Waiting isn't going to help anything, Kagome." Mrs. H replies. Her eyes harden. "And, for a long time, I've wanted to give Kikyo a piece of my mind."  
  
Kagome shivers at the tone in her mother's voice.  
  
"I think I can find a staff for you, Miroku." Mrs. h says. "A sword, though . . . "  
  
Kagome takes Jaa Kalpa off and hands it to Sango. "Sango, this is my sword, Jaa Kalpa, use it. You're a pure warrior, and I'm not."  
  
"Magic?" Sango replies. She frowns, and then stares at the sword. "Magic, indeed." She whispers.  
  
A pause, Sango shakes herself. She looks at Kagome. "Are you sure?" she asks.  
  
Kagome shrugs, "not really. But, he and I have had arguments. You're closer to what he wants, than I am." Her face twists, "I've never enjoyed the feel of the sword cutting flesh, and it does."  
  
Sango nods. "A sword should enjoy that."  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
"Chika." Mrs. h begins to talk to her friend. "If you could, please, watch, Sango's brother."  
  
"And make sure the kids don't destroy the house?" Chika replies, humor in her voice.  
  
Mrs. h smiles and nods. "I won't mind buying new make-up, and restocking the pantry, but redecorating the house is more than I'd like to do."  
  
Chika smiles as she nods.  
  
Kagome adds in, "Rin should enjoy some chocolate, Chika. I don't think she's ever had any."  
  
Chika looks sharply at Kagome. "You want me to watch her have her first sugar high? She already seems quite active."  
  
Kagome shrugs and moves Shippo, attracting Chika attention to him. "You should have seen his reaction to chocolate."  
  
"Hey! I was good!" Shippo says in a bright voice. Kagome shakes her head, as she remembers that day . . . Letting Shippo raid her chocolate and get a sugar rush, ranks high on the list of days that she'd like to forget . . .  
  
He continues, "That reminds me, If I ever got on this side of the well, I wanted to see one of those stores full of chocolate that Kagome has mentioned."  
  
Chika looks at Kagome. Kagome begs her with her eyes.  
  
Chika sighs, "IF you stay, Shippo, I think I can leave with you for a few minutes, at least."  
  
Shippo opens his mouth. He closes it and shakes his head, no. "I'm going."  
  
Kagome sighs. 'Well that didn't work.' She thinks.  
  
"Shall we go?" Miroku asks.  
  
Kagome sighs, and says, "yes."  
  
On the other side of the well . . .  
  
Kikyo has summoned a couple of her insect demons. She stands next to the well, watching Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru.  
  
They are standing off to one side, slowly pacing in circles around each other. While neither has actually said a word, or drawn a sword, the tension between their glares has increased, and they are trying to work off the tension. But that is not succeeding . . .  
  
'Hmm . . . ' Kikyo thinks, 'When they finally start to fight, I will help Sesshomaru kill Inu-yasha. Then, I will grab Inu-yasha's soul and take it with me.'  
  
Kirara, is still up in one of the nearby trees. Kirara thinks, 'I've got to stop them, when they start to fight. Still, I wonder, what the circumstances were that caused Sesshomaru to reek of Kagome's sexual scents.'  
  
The well glows blue, attracting everyone's attention.  
  
Sango jumps out of the well, landing just outside it, Jaa Kalpa, already drawn and in an attack position. 'If there's a fight, I want to be prepared.' She thinks. After a quick, all-encompassing glance, she makes sure that moves between kikyo and well. 'Those two boys might fight, but if they do, they're evenly matched, and Kagome can control them, I hope. Adding her into the picture, though. That's not a good idea.'  
  
Miroku, Shippo, Kagome and Kagome's mother quickly climb out of the well.  
  
Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha, as they climb out, break off their testosterone measuring contest, and go to the well.  
  
"Your grandfather?" Sesshomaru asks, once everyone is out of the well. He is standing off to one of the well.  
  
Kikyo, with her demons, is standing off to one side.  
  
Inu-yasha, who is standing near Kikyo, but, not next to her, adds, "Yeah, where is he?"  
  
Sango, with Kirara, who jumped onto her shoulder, Miroku, Mrs. H, Shippo and Kagome from a group right at the well.  
  
Mrs. h, takes a step in front of her group, and says, "He, by his own choice, has chosen to remain at peace."  
  
Kikyo, before anyone can react to that, states, "That doesn't matter. The agreement was I would show you where his soul was and then. Inu-yasha and I will go to hell."  
  
Mrs H glares at Kikyo, "Miko Kikyo, do you enjoy your hatred?"  
  
"Who are you to ask?" Kikyo glares.  
  
"The mother of Kagome." Mrs. h replies.  
  
"Your opinion doesn't matter." Kikyo replies. She walks to Inu-yasha and grabs his arm.  
  
Inu-yasha looks at her hand, a very pained expression on his face. 'She did show us where the souls were. And, he could have been brought back to life. He chose to stay dead. So, I need to live up to my agreement.' His expression twists even more, as he considers the phrase, 'live up to my agreement.'  
  
"Oh, but my opinion does matter." Mrs. H purrs.  
  
Everyone looks at her. Kikyo raises an eyebrow in a silent question.  
  
"You are going to hell, Kikyo." Mrs. H continues. "If you bring Inu-yasha with you and by doing that, hurt my daughter. I will hurt you." She pauses. Her glare hardens. "There are ways to summon you from hell, even to summon Inu-yasha from hell. I will find them and I will use them."  
  
She smiles, an ugly smile, "I wonder, Kikyo, since you're in hell, and you're supposed to be tormented in such a place." She glances at Inu-yasha, "removing Inu-yasha from hell, so you can be tormented by his absence should be easy to do."  
  
"Those spells cost." Kikyo states in a hard, tight voice.  
  
"My children's happiness is worth any cost." Mrs. H voice is hard and flat.  
  
"Mom!" Kagome, finally, yells. The surprise of her mother's statements caused the delay. She steps in front of her mother, between her and Kikyo.  
  
"Kagome?" Mrs. H says. "I'm just."  
  
Kagome spins, looking at her mother, "I know, mother. You're doing what you think is best." She glances over her shoulder at Kikyo. "But, Kikyo and I," Kagome sighs, "this should be handled between us."  
  
Mrs. h grips her daughter's shoulders and hugs her. "Are you sure?"  
  
Kagome nods, yes, silently.  
  
Mrs. h, sighs, then let's her daughter go.  
  
Kagome slowly turns around to face Kikyo.  
  
They stare at each other, for a timeless moment.  
  
"I would like to speak with Inu-yasha, before anything happens." Kagome asks in a soft voice. "Please."  
  
"In front of all of us, no privacy." Kikyo replies. She thinks, 'without any privacy, she'll never be able to say that she loves him. And he'll never be able to say that he loves her. And, knowing these two, they'll start fighting, and he'll gladly come with me to hell.'  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Very well."  
  
Kagome walks over to Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha looks around, and pales, 'how can I say anything? Her mother is here. Sango and Miroku are here? Shippo? Hell, even Sesshomaru is here. What the fuck can I say?' he thinks.  
  
Sesshomaru thinks, as he looks over the scene, 'Hmm. Before she and I left, Kagome would never be able to say anything to Inu-yasha. Now? I wonder how much all the practice she's had with me will help her?' he thinks.  
  
He looks hard at kikyo. 'I've been trying to spot any magical connection between them. IF, as I suspect, Kikyo has used the loyalty bond spell between her and Inu-yasha I should be able to spot it. And, if I can, I can point it out to Kagome. Then, hopefully she can break it. My brother, no matter what I might feel about him or his relationship with Kagome, should not be controlled by that spell.'  
  
Sesshomaru's eyes change, as he looks at her, via his mystical senses, 'I couldn't do this earlier, to many people where watching, but now, I can.'  
  
"Inu-yasha?" Kagome says in a soft voice. She reaches out and grabs his hands.  
  
'So, scarred, so calloused.' She thinks. 'But, I want, oh, so desperately, for him to hold me.'  
  
Inu-yasha licks his lips, but as he glances around, he doesn't say a thing.  
  
"Inu-yasha," Kagome says again.  
  
"I love you."  
  
Silence . . .  
  
'How can she say that?' Kikyo thinks in shock.  
  
'She's made her choice, then.' Sango thinks. She glances at Sesshomaru, 'but what happened between them?'  
  
'Yes. Finally!' Mrs. h thinks, as she smiles, and begins to clap.  
  
Miroku raises an eyebrow as he thinks, 'She's finally said it. I wonder, though, what will be next?'  
  
'Great.' Shippo thinks angrily, 'if he stays, I'll have to follow his orders, because they'll marry.' he glances at Kikyo, and sighs, 'but, I don't hate him enough to wish him to go to hell. I suppose I'll adjust. I just won't like it.'  
  
Sesshomaru thinks, 'now, it begins.'  
  
"Kagome!" Inu-yasha croaks out.  
  
Kagome falls to her knees in front of Inu-yasha, still holding his hands. "I don't want you to leave me. I want you to hold me." She closes her eyes. Tears begin to fall from them.  
  
"But." Kagome spits out, in a choked voice.  
  
"Inu-yasha." Kagome says in a very tight and controlled voice, suppressing her emotions. "If you wish to go with Kikyo, I will not stop you. I love you enough that I trust you make your own decisions."  
  
more silence . . .  
  
"Inu-yasha." Kikyo declares in a firm voice. "It is time."  
  
She waves her hand, and behind her, a portal to hell opens up.  
  
Kagome squeezes inu-yasha's hands, 'one last time.' She thinks. She lets go of his hands. Kagome slumps, down onto the ground, her face buried in her hands.  
  
Inu-yasha looks down at Kagome, hearing and smelling her crying. He looks at Kikyo, standing firm, waiting for him.  
  
"I," Inu-yasha chokes out. He glances at everyone else.  
  
He shudders, 'they all want me to stay. I can see that. Even Sesshomaru and Shippo, both of whom, I would have thought that they would be glad to see me leave. Sesshomaru and Kagome have had sex, I can smell it, but, still he wants me to stay. Does that mean that it didn't work between them? She just said that she loves me. So, it must mean that.' He thinks.  
  
He looks at Kikyo. 'But, I've promised her. I owe her so much. When she first met me, I was just a scumbag, like so many of the demons I've killed. She taught me, so much. If I'm an honorable person, like I want to be, I must do everything that I've promised, no matter what the cost.'  
  
He takes a deep breath, and takes a step toward Kikyo.  
  
More silence . . .  
  
Inu-yasha looks at ground. 'I don't need to look at them, to know that they hate me.'  
  
He takes another step toward Kikyo.  
  
"Kikyo." Kagome says, stopping him, stopping everything.  
  
He turns to look at her.  
  
Everyone looks at her. She is looking at Kikyo, tears dripping down her cheeks.  
  
"I love Inu-yasha enough to give him to you, knowing that if he loves me as much as I love him, he'll return to me." Kagome says, her voice strengthening as she speaks.  
  
"I'll never let him go." Kikyo declares. Kagome's mouth twitches, "As I thought, you don't love him. If you did, you'd let him choose. Instead, you hate him more than you love him."  
  
"Let him choose?" Kikyo asks, "He made that choice long ago."  
  
Kagome stares into Kikyo's eyes. Kikyo glares into Kagome's eyes.  
  
Kagome's hand shifts, moving to her side. A gleam appears in her palm.  
  
"Catch, Inu-yasha." Kagome says, her eyes never leaving Kikyo's.  
  
The complete, purified jewel of the four souls is caught by Inu-yasha, by reflex.  
  
"It's yours." Kagome whispers, "Do with it, what you will."  
  
Everyone looks at Inu-yasha, as he stares at the jewel.  
  
Kagome, slowly stands up and wipes her tears. "I will be waiting for you, Inu-yasha. I love you now and I will love you in the future."  
  
"An honorable person completes his promises. A lying scumbag demon doesn't." Kikyo says, as she glares at Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha licks his lips. He looks around, but refuses to meet anybody's eyes.  
  
He takes a deep breath.  
  
"I wish . . . " He begins.

the end of the chapter....

* * *

Authors' note:  
  
I will be killed for this, but.  
  
I really need to take a break. There are some real-life issues that I've got to deal with, and I still need to break my writer's block on A Shard in Kyoto. (Already, I've gotten so far ahead of it, that I'm going to have to alter its finish, to make it conform to this story.)  
  
I try to start posting new chapters of Kagome's return before Aug 1, but, we'll see.  
  
Authors' note: I've had a couple of reviewers question/comment about my plot to have Mrs. H adopt Miroku and Sango. (And by extension Kohaku) hmm. How to explain.  
  
As I've read other stories, one of the things I notice is that the group, (Inu-yasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara) is often termed a pack. And in many stories, writers use a lot wolf/dog pack terms (alpha male, alpha female, etc). While I can see using those terms, we are talking about basically humans, and semi-humans, so, I wanted and will use, human-related terms, not dog- related terms. (While I was writing Kagome! Where are you!? I had several reviewers comment about how many dog-related traits I was giving Sesshomaru, a full blood dog demon, not a human-being. I was, somewhat secretly amused, at those comments, since I knew that I was planning on adopting, and using human terms to describe the group, in this story.)  
  
And, while the term friendships (and it's variants) are useful, still, I feel the connections between the group are stronger than friendship. So, I'm using family related terms to show those greater connections. However, the terms (brother, sisters, even stepbrother, stepsister) aren't exactly correct, either. But, I feel that they are better than friendship.  
  
One thing that readers must remember is that this will not end in traditional American nuclear family. So, I'm going to be using family- related terms in ways that are not traditional, especially from a western cultural stand point.  
  
Authors' note: I also had a couple of reviewers ask about the magazine that Mrs. h gave Miroku. IF you read my story, "What's in the backpack." That magazine is mentioned. And that is my first published Inu-yasha story.  
  
Authors' note: For readers that thought that Kagome's mother was generous in adopting Sango and Miroku . . . please read my story, "Kagome's new baby Brother" for another, different, and even greater example of her generosity. (Sigh, I just never could find a way to meld that story into my other stories, otherwise . . . )  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	14. kikyo's hate

Kagome's Return chapter 13  
  
Kikyo's hate . . .  
  
Authors' note: a small chapter, but, I couldn't resist the cliffhanger. Sorry. I am evil . . .  
  
Authors' note: something about Japanese romance stories. A very popular type of story is about two star-crossed lovers. They, for various reasons, can't marry. So, in the stories (And this happens in real life, as well) the couple commits suicide together. They are sure that in the future, they will be reincarnated together and will live happily ever after . . .

* * *

Kagome's hand shifts, moving to her side. A gleam appears in her palm.  
  
"Catch, Inu-yasha." Kagome says, her eyes never leaving Kikyo's.  
  
The complete, purified jewel of the four souls is caught by Inu-yasha, by reflex.  
  
"It's yours." Kagome whispers, "Do with it, what you will."  
  
Everyone looks at Inu-yasha, as he stares at the jewel.  
  
Kagome, slowly stands up and wipes her tears. "I will be waiting for you, Inu-yasha. I love you now and I will love you in the future."  
  
"An honorable person completes his promises. A lying scumbag demon doesn't." Kikyo says, as she glares at Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha licks his lips. He looks around, but refuses to meet anybody's eyes.  
  
He takes a deep breath.  
  
"I wish . . . " He begins to say, he pauses, and then Inu-yasha continues with, "I wish I knew what to wish for."  
  
Silence . . .  
  
Inu-yasha, in shock, thinks, 'My stupid, idiotic mouth . . . why did I say what I was thinking?'  
  
Everybody looks at Inu-yasha . . .  
  
"Inu-yasha are you an idiot or simply stupid?" Shippo asks.  
  
Inu-yasha growls, deep in his throat and throws the jewel into the sky . . . far, far away . . .  
  
He looks around, pausing for a second as he looks into the eyes of Kikyo, Kagome and Sesshomaru. He then jumps up and runs away.  
  
Everybody looks at each other. Most of the women sigh. Miroku and Shippo share a sad headshake. Sesshomaru purses his lips and looks at Kikyo.  
  
Kikyo twitches her hand and one of her insect demons floats close to her. "What you are doing?" Kagome asks.  
  
"Going after him, of course, he and I have a permanent date in hell."  
  
"Kikyo." Kagome's says in a strong tone, which causes Kikyo and everyone else to look at her.  
  
"Reincarnation, you can't stop me."  
  
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru. "I just want to talk, please."  
  
"We have been."  
  
"Fine." Kagome says in disgust. "Then, before you go, tell me why you have to go to hell, instead of resting in peace."  
  
"You know why I have to go to hell." Kikyo snarls.  
  
"Because, you cannot let go of your hate. A hate that exists for no reason. Naraku caused your death, not Inu-yasha." Kagome replies. The tone in her voice, remains stable, but, everyone can hear the strain it takes to maintain it.  
  
"So." Kikyo replies coldly. "That doesn't change anything."  
  
"Really, Kikyo?" Kagome asks. "Once, I met a ghost, who, like you hated someone for no reason. She, a little girl, maybe a little older than Rin, let go of her hate and is now resting in peace. You, on the other hand, are Kikyo. The great, the powerful, Miko Kikyo, but you are less than that little girl." Kagome pauses. She raises an eyebrow, "Surely, the great Kikyo can do something that a little girl can do?"  
  
"That, reincarnation, is a pitiful attempt to change my mind."  
  
"Kikyo, I have to try." Kagome replies. She stares into Kikyo's eyes. "If you were alive, and in my position, wouldn't you?"  
  
Kikyo opens her mouth. She pauses. Her jaws clench tightly as she closes her mouth. Kikyo nods, a sharp abrupt nod.  
  
"I'll help." Kagome says. She waves her hands to the others. "We all will."  
  
Sesshomaru's raises an eyebrow at that statement, but he doesn't say a thing.  
  
Miroku steps forward, "of course." He says. 'As a monk, I have to.' He thinks.  
  
"Kagome is my sister." Sango says, as she steps forward. "I'll support her, thru whatever may come."  
  
"Of course, I'll help, my daughter." Mrs. H states.  
  
Kagome flicks her eyes at Shippo.  
  
Shippo sighs and low disgusted voice, says, "OF course, I'll help."  
  
Kagome looks at Kikyo. A slight smile on her lips, "well, most of us, anyway."  
  
Silence . . .  
  
"Are you afraid to try?" Kagome whispers.  
  
More silence . . .  
  
"Miko Kikyo," Miroku begins to say. "Please forgive me for this, but, as a monk, I must give you my opinion."  
  
Kikyo looks at him, as does everyone else.  
  
He states: "when you and Inu-yasha died, and each of you died, basically at the same time, you assumed, that the two of you would, like as in most romantic stories, that you and he would be reincarnated sometime in the future."  
  
A low growl begins to build in Kikyo's throat. Kagome looks at the ground and covers her eyes, trying to hide her face. 'Why?' She thinks, 'I've known this since the beginning, but he's going to bring it out and force us to discuss it. The real reason Kikyo hates me.'  
  
"But, that future, a pleasant future in which you and your lover would be reincarnated and live out a happy and fruitful life, has been destroyed." Miroku states. He nods to her, "Admittedly the chain of events that has led to this is not entirely your fault, but you are not the person that Inu- yasha loves. Not anymore."  
  
Kikyo's hand begins to glow, as she builds up power.  
  
Sango moves, so she is standing close to Miroku, ready to defend him against Kikyo's attack, even if all she can do is to jump in front of the energy bolt.  
  
"You don't hate Inu-yasha as much as you don't want Kagome to have the happy future that has been denied you." He concludes. "So, going to hell, with Inu-yasha is really you trying to deny Kagome, her happiness."  
  
"And that is supposed to change my mind, how?" Kikyo spits out, her face slowly twisting into a rage.  
  
"Kagome is your reincarnation." Miroku continues. His eyes flick up and down her body, as he visibly notes her readiness to attack him. He glances at Sango, and nods to her, accepting her defense.  
  
"Even you admit that she is your reincarnation," He states, as he looks at Kagome. "In those romantic stories and legends, the reincarnation, after some troubles, of course, wins and lives happily with her lover."  
  
Kagome blushes, as she continues to hide her face.  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow, 'Hmmm. An aspect of our relationship that I have not taken into account. Will that change things? I will have to consider it.' He thinks.  
  
Miroku looks at Kikyo. "Why do you continue to act like you have a chance at success?" He asks. He smiles, "In all those stories, sooner or later, the character that Kagome is playing in this scenario will win. All you can do is lose."  
  
Kikyo, her face twisted in hate, says in a horrible, evil voice, "Sometimes, winning is worse than losing. I can do that to her."  
  
Miroku nods. "And if you succeed, you will spend forever in hell, as an evil and twisted spirit." He pauses, "the great Kikyo, Miko and friend of everyone and everything, instead of being a good Kami is twisted into a horrible demon. A great victory for you." He finishes his voice full of scorn.  
  
Kikyo's eyes open wide. Her hate filled expression fades . . .  
  
He, quickly, continues, "Or you can give you your hate." He stares into her eyes. "Be the great Kikyo. Forgive Kagome, Inu-yasha, even yourself and rest peaceably. Earn the karma to become a Buddha, by giving up your hate."  
  
He steps past Sango, holds out his hands, "Please, the Miko Kikyo, be the best that you can be, not the hate-filled creature you are now."  
  
Kikyo licks her lips. "Too much anger and hatred exist between us. There is no way that you would trust me, or that I could trust you."  
  
Silence . . .  
  
"I will." Kagome raises her head. She wipes the tears from her eyes. "I must." She says in a low voice. "IF I believe that we are right, I must act on that."  
  
Kagome, slowly but surely, walks up to Kikyo.  
  
Mrs. H and Sango exchange glances. Both bite their lips, and nods.  
  
Miroku and Sesshomaru raise eyebrows at each other. Both nod and begin to gather their mystical power. IF something goes wrong, they will be prepared . . .  
  
'And If I need to attack hell itself to free Kagome's soul. So be it.' Sesshomaru thinks.  
  
Shippo quietly goes over to Mrs. H, how picks him up and hugs him. "She'll be fine." Mrs. h whispers into his ears.  
  
Kagome stops, a bare pace from Kikyo. She looks Kikyo in the eyes. "If you want to give up your hate, Kikyo. I am here. I will help. All you have to do is ask."  
  
"No defenses?" Kikyo whispers to her as she studies Kagome.  
  
Kagome shakes her head, no. "None." She looks at Kikyo's hands, which still glow with power. "I trust you, Kikyo. You will let me help you give up your hate."  
  
"I can destroy you." Kikyo growls.  
  
Kagome stares back. "Can you destroy your future? I am your reincarnation. I am your future. Or will you be so hate filled that it doesn't matter, that only your hate matters."  
  
Silence . . .  
  
Off in the distance, in the trees, Inu-yasha strains his ears to hear as he bites his claws to the quick . . .  
  
Kagome reaches out and grabs Kikyo's hands.  
  
"What will it be? Will hate win?" Kagome asks in a low, quiet voice.  
  
The glow of Kikyo's hands increases . . .  
  
Kikyo begins to glow . . .  
  
Kagome begins to glow . . .  
  
The glow brightens, blinding everyone . . .  
  
The end of this chapter . . .  
  
Yes. I am evil.  
  
(I will try to bring out a new chapter faster than normal to compensate for the shortness of this chapter.) Expect a new chapter tomorrow.  
  
Thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	15. Inuyasha & Sesshomaru part 1

Chapter 14 Inu-yasha & Sesshomaru part 1  
  
I had a reviewer mention some hesitation about Sango and Miroku's adoption. So, A couple of things. First: adoption was common and accepted in japan. Many families adopted adults into their family when the biological children either died, or didn't live up to the family's standards. So, adopting a couple of young adults, especially since Sango and Miroku (or Shippo) have no other family, would be acceptable/normal. (Also, since they have no other family, people would expect Sango/Miroku to be looking for a family to adopt them, so they could become part of a family.) The western nuclear family did not exist . . .  
  
Second, about concerns that this is the first time that Mrs. h has seen them, and why she adopted them so quickly. That is related to my story "letter's to Kagome's Mother" in that story, Mrs. h writes letters to the group, introducing herself, etc. and Kagome becomes a post woman delivering letters back and forth. So, while Mrs. H and Sango/Miroku have never met. They have exchanged letters and have met that way. (And before e-mail & chats, letters were great ways to make friends.)

* * *

Kagome reaches out and grabs Kikyo's hands.  
  
"What will it be? Will hate win?" Kagome asks.  
  
The glow of Kikyo's hands increases . . .  
  
Kikyo begins to glow . . .  
  
Kagome begins to glow . . .  
  
The glow brightens, blinding everyone . . .  
  
The glow fades . . .  
  
Kagome stands alone, a pile of dirt at her feet.  
  
"Kagome?" her mother asks.  
  
Kagome turns. She licks her lips, and nods. "I am." She pauses. "I'm ok."  
  
Mrs. H runs up to her and hugs her daughter. "Are you sure?" She whispers.  
  
Kagome hugs her mother tight. "I will be."  
  
"Will be?"  
  
Kagome nods. "This has been a very long day, mother. And, the worse part is about to begin." She finishes in a sad voice.  
  
"Worse part?"  
  
"Kagome!" Shippo calls as he jumps on Kagome's shoulders.  
  
Kagome breaks her hug with her mother and grabs Shippo. Everyone is gathered around her. Asking the same question, as her mother, he says, "Are you fine?"  
  
Kagome looks around, "I'm fine."  
  
"What happened to Kikyo?" Miroku asks.  
  
Kagome looks at Miroku. She pauses, and bites her lips. "Can it wait?"  
  
Miroku raises an eyebrow. "What is more important?"  
  
Kagome sighs. She looks at the ground. "I need to talk to Inu-yasha." She sighs. "He needs to know something, first."  
  
Miroku starts to ask another question, but he sees Mrs. H shake her head, no. He looks at her.  
  
"My daughter is correct, my son. Inu-yasha needs to know first."  
  
Miroku purses his lips and nods.  
  
"Where is my brother?" Sesshomaru looks around. He sniffs and slowly turns.  
  
Kagome turns. "He's over there." She points.  
  
A pause as everyone looks at the clump of trees that Kagome is pointing at.  
  
Kagome reaches out and grabs her mother's hand and squeezes.  
  
Mrs. h turns to looks at Kagome.  
  
"Now, Mom, this is when it gets hard." Kagome whispers.  
  
Inu-yasha jumps out of the clump of trees and slowly walks toward the group. Kagome walks toward him. Sesshomaru follows a step behind her.  
  
Inu-yasha stops a couple of paces in front of Kagome. He glares, over her shoulders, at Sesshomaru.  
  
"Please, look at me." Kagome whispers.  
  
Inu-yasha glares into her eyes, his nostrils flare, but he doesn't say anything.  
  
Kagome grimaces, but doesn't say anything.  
  
Time passes . . .  
  
Mrs. H can see Shippo about to open his mouth. She places her hand over his mouth.  
  
Shippo glares at her, but subsides.  
  
Miroku and Sango exchanges glances, but don't move.  
  
Sesshomaru stands, motionlessly, behind Kagome.  
  
Inu-yasha shifts his eyes to Sesshomaru.  
  
"Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers, but it is quiet enough that everyone can hear her.  
  
His eyes bore into hers.  
  
She blushes. Kagome seems to slump for a second, then she stands straight. "Inu-yasha." She begins a strong voice. "There is no easy way to say this, so." She finishes, her sentence, though, in a weak voice.  
  
"What?" He grunts out, still looking at her.  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath. "I love you, Inu-yasha." She says in a strong voice. "No matter what else I tell you, no matter what else you hear, I love you."  
  
"Then why you do smell like him!" Inu-yasha growls, as he steps up close to her.  
  
Kagome's jaw clenches and unclenches. "I could tell you that Sesshomaru and I have been lived together, through dangers as great as any I've faced with you, and so it's natural that we smell alike." She pauses. "But, I won't."  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes harden.  
  
"Sesshomaru and I have." Kagome pauses.  
  
Sesshomaru takes a totally silent step toward her.  
  
"No!" She cries, without turning, she knows where he is. "Don't move, Sesshomaru. This is my responsibility."  
  
"You've fucked each other." Inu-yasha growls.  
  
Sango's eyes widen . . .  
  
Miroku, Shippo and Mrs. H slowly nod.  
  
Sesshomaru stands, unmoving.  
  
Kagome nods. "Many times."  
  
Sango's eyes widen, even more . . .  
  
"Then, you fucking slut! How can you say that you love me?!" Inu-yasha screams in her face.  
  
"Because I do!" Kagome screams back. "I love and care about you!"  
  
"No!" Inu-yasha screams back, "you don't!"  
  
Kagome's eyes harden, "I do, love you, Inu-yasha! How I wish I could make you feel my love!" She takes a deep breath, then says, "And I'll prove it." She hisses.  
  
"Never."  
  
"I rejected his offer to mark me." Kagome begins.  
  
Inu-yasha flicks his eyes to Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru nods.  
  
"He has not formally asked me, but, I would refuse his offer of marriage."  
  
Inu-yasha, still looking at Sesshomaru, sees him nod.  
  
Kagome takes deep breath, "because, I want to you to be my husband."  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes widen. He glances at Kagome and looks at Sesshomaru and the others.  
  
Sesshomaru nods, accepting Kagome's statement.  
  
The others, though, all of them are wide eyed and staring at the back of Kagome's head in wonder.  
  
"What about him?" Inu-yasha points to Sesshomaru, as he growls in Kagome's face.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome replies, as she licks her lips.  
  
Sesshomaru moves up and places his hand on her shoulder. Inu-yasha growls, deep in his chest, at him.  
  
"I can answer that, Miko Higurashi Kagome." Sesshomaru states in his normal tone of voice.  
  
Kagome twists, and looks into his face. Sesshomaru looks at her in the eyes. "IT is time for my brother and this Sesshomaru to talk." Sesshomaru says. "After that talk, then,"  
  
"There is nothing to talk about." Inu-yasha interrupts.  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. "Oh, there is, Inu-yasha."  
  
"Are you sure?" Kagome asks, quietly.  
  
Sesshomaru, ignoring Inu-yasha, looks deep into Kagome's eyes. "Yes. It is best if we talk before you and he begin to fight." He glances at Mrs. H, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo as they watch the action. "Return Sango to her brother and bring Rin through the well." He orders.  
  
Kagome looks at Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha looks at Sesshomaru and then at Kagome.  
  
Kagome can hear his knuckles crack as his fist form. Inu-yasha says, "Yes, talking is good." His knuckles crack, again.  
  
"Inu-yasha?" Kagome whispers, tears beginning to form in her eyes.  
  
"Miko Higurashi Kagome," Sesshomaru says, interrupting the two of them. They both look at him. His hands are on his swords. "We will be talking, so, I will not need these."  
  
He takes off his sword's Tokijin and Tenseiga and hands them to Kagome. "Are you sure?" Kagome breathes as her hands circle around the two swords.  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "I'm sure." He moves so his back is to Inu-yasha. "I trust my brother."  
  
Kagome looks at Inu-yasha, who is peaking around Sesshomaru. Inu-yasha's eyes widen. His hand grips Tetsusaiga's hilt.  
  
Sesshomaru gently grabs Kagome's shoulders and twists her around. "Go. Leave. Bring Sango back to her brother. Bring Rin back to me."  
  
Kagome takes a couple of steps away and then turns around. "Inu-yasha?"  
  
Inu-yasha looks at Kagome, then his eyes shift to Sesshomaru. He nods, once, sharply and abruptly.  
  
Kagome slowly walks back toward her mother and the others. She keeps glancing over her shoulder, looking Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru turns around, so, he and Inu-yasha can glare at each other.  
  
"Kagome?" Kagome's mother asks in a soft voice, as she approaches.  
  
Kagome looks at her family. She lips her licks. She turns around and looks at Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. She thinks, 'Sooner or later, they'll be alone. So, no matter what I try, sooner or later, if they are going to fight, they will. So, does staying here and trying to stop them make sense?'  
  
She sighs, 'No. I've got to trust them. Still.'  
  
"It'll be ok, mother." Kagome says in a strong voice, making sure that everyone can hear. "They'll both be here, safe and unhurt when we return."  
  
Miroku's eyebrow's raise at that statement.  
  
"Are you sure?" Sango asks. Kagome turns and gives a wan smile, "Yes, Sango, I am. And, we do need to get you back to your brother."  
  
Shippo jumps to Kagome's arms. She catches him, easily and holds him tight.  
  
Sango, Miroku and Mrs. H exchange looks and they glance at Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha.  
  
Both of whom are looking at the others, instead of each other.  
  
Kagome's mouth twitches, as she thinks, 'and, I can tell Sango and Miroku about my relationship with Sesshomaru. I can use that practice, so, when I tell Inu-yasha, I will have practiced my story.'  
  
The group walks over to the well. Kagome extends her hands and a few minutes later. They jump down the well.  
  
Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru stand side by side, watching them.  
  
Inu-yasha, as soon as Kagome vanishes, lashes out at Sesshomaru. The force of the blow causes Sesshomaru to step back a few steps. Inu-yasha's open palm and clawed fingers leave bloody streaks across Sesshomaru's check.  
  
Sesshomaru, his eyes pulsing red, raises his hand to his bloody check. "Have you gotten your anger out of your system, yet?" he asks.  
  
"NO!" Inu-yasha snarls, as he crouches in an attack position. He begins to circle Sesshomaru. "Did you fucking rape her!? What did you do to her?!" he screams.  
  
"Did I rape her? No." Sesshomaru's lips twist into a smile. "And what did I to her? I made her happy."  
  
His eyebrows raise, as he smirks, "can you say that?"  
  
Inu-yasha purples. "I'm going to kill you!" He screams.  
  
Sesshomaru stretches his neck, the arteries in his neck pulse, "Go ahead, Inu-yasha. I win, if you kill me, though." He smiles.  
  
Sesshomaru thinks, 'Kagome has Tenseiga. She can raise me from the dead. And, if he kills me, especially, if I don't resist, she will find it very hard to forgive him.'  
  
Inu-yasha wordlessly screams in rage . . .  
  
Kirara looks on, watching, whatever happens, Kirara will know and will be able to tell Kagome the truth.  
  
The end chapter 14 . . .  
  
I will post chapter 15 tomorrow . . .  
  
As for Kikyo? I'll answer that in the next few chapters...  
  
Thank you for reading jeff  
  
Chapter 15 


	16. chapter 15

Chapter 15 secret title, see below  
  
Authors' note: A little humor, and cleaning up a couple of loose ends, before things get tense . . .  
  
On the other side of the well . . .  
  
Kagome, Her mother, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo appear at the bottom on the well.  
  
Kagome tenses, and barely suppresses a moan. 'Will going through the well hurt, like this, the rest of the time?' she thinks. 'I've got to talk to the god tree and have him explain it to me. I think I know why, but, I'd like to hear it from his mouth.'  
  
"Kagome?" her mother asks. "Are you ok?"  
  
'When we appeared, she tensed and shuddered.' She thinks.  
  
"I'm fine, mother." Kagome replies, "I think take multiple people with me, it causes some stress, but nothing that bad."  
  
"If you say, so, my dear." Mrs. H replies.  
  
"Now what?" Sango asks.  
  
"Now, you go check on your brother, Sango." Kagome replies. "Unless he's awake, or something else has happened, then I'll tell you about my trip with Sesshomaru."  
  
"You're not going to jump back instantly with Rin?" Miroku asks.  
  
Kagome shakes her head. "No. they need to talk."  
  
"You mean fight." Sango interrupts.  
  
Kagome sighs. "They really need to talk. But I can't watch them all the time, so, sooner or later, they'll fight. I'd rather it was sooner than later."  
  
"May I ask why?" Miroku asks.  
  
Kagome licks her lips, "because, Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru and I have things that we must talk about. I'd rather get the fight out of the way that way, maybe, we can talk."  
  
Shippo looks at Kagome and then at the others, "And telling us what happened is good practice for when you talk to Inu-yasha?"  
  
Kagome ruffles the top of his head. "I hope." She sighs, "Although, he's not going to be as good of an audience you guys."  
  
"Ok." Mrs. H says. "Then, out of the well, please and let's get started."  
  
A few minutes later  
  
Sango, her shoulders slumped, walks down the stairs.  
  
"Is he?" Kagome asks from the couch that she is sitting on.  
  
"Still asleep." Sango replies.  
  
"Good. He needs it." Mrs. H says. "Sit, Sango."  
  
"Yes, please." Kagome adds.  
  
Sango shakes her head. "I'm too worried for that, Kagome, Mrs. H, or sorry, mother." Sango quickly finishes, as Mrs. H glances at her. "I'll just pace." Sango finishes.  
  
Kagome sighs and nods. She looks around her families living room.  
  
Shippo is sitting on her lap, Off to one side is her mother. Ayumi (after a quick conference between her friends) is sitting on the other side of Kagome. Ayumi is playing with Shippo's tail.  
  
Sitting on the floor close by is Yuka and Eri. Miroku is sitting on a chair, facing Kagome. Rin and Sota are sitting next to him, on the floor.  
  
Food and various drinks have been passed around, as Kagome sighs, again.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure how to begin, so." Kagome starts to say.  
  
Kagome begins, "the first world was an ice cold world. We had to burrow into the ice to survive." She smiles and nods to her mother. "Those survival rules for cold and ice came in handy, mother."  
  
Mrs. h nods. "Thank you." She pauses, "since they came in handy, you used them, so. Since you and he slept together for warmth, is that when it started?"  
  
Everyone looks at Kagome. "Slept together!" her three friends squeal.  
  
Kagome shakes her head. "No, Mother. Not then." She smiles, "As a matter of fact, the fact that we didn't have sex then, was a good start to our relationship." She finishes, glancing at Miroku.  
  
Miroku is composed enough that he doesn't react, even though, everyone glances at him.  
  
"I picked up Jaa Kalpa, there." Kagome nods to Sango.  
  
Sango pats Jaa Kalpa. "I can feel power, Kagome, but?"  
  
"It can generate a massive cold wave, Sango. Very powerful. Can freeze anything?"  
  
Sango pats Jaa Kalpa again.  
  
"After that world," Kagome continues, "we went to a world full of dinosaurs."  
  
Sota whines, "And we haven't had time to get those photos made."  
  
Kagome smiles, "Don't worry, Sota. You'll love them." She sighs. "I don't have the cube anymore, so I can't take you there. And I did wish I could, Sota."  
  
Sota sighs.  
  
Kagome frowns. "I might still have some seeds from that world, I hope. We went through so many worlds, I've forgotten if I managed to save them."  
  
"We'll go through everything." Mrs. H replies.  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
Her eyes narrow and she glances at Miroku. "Miroku, I think." She pauses.  
  
"Yes, Kagome?" Miroku asks. "Or would you prefer, yes, sister?"  
  
Kagome's lips twitch. "I think I've finally figured out why you like to spy on us when we bathe."  
  
Miroku blinks in surprise. "May I ask what caused this revelation?" his lips curl into a smile. "And." He starts to say, but.  
  
Kagome cuts him off, "And, I still don't like to be spied on, Miroku. I might understand why you enjoy it, but, that doesn't mean that I'm going to strip for you, whenever you want."  
  
He sighs, heavily . . .  
  
"Kagome?" Sango asks in a tight voice.  
  
Kagome looks at Sango. "We had to wash up, Sango, and since the world was dangerous . . . well." She blushes, "I had to watch him, bathe."  
  
"And Sesshomaru saw you bathe?" Yuka asks.  
  
Kagome nods, still blushing. "It wasn't that bad. I still had my bathing suit then, but, still it was . . . different and exciting."  
  
"Exciting?" Mrs. H asks in a low voice. "And bathing suit, still?"  
  
Kagome looks at her mother. She nods. "I was very embarrassed, but, once I had a chance to think, mother." She pauses. "Remember the spring fertility festival, mother? And the dance?"  
  
"Uzume?" Her mother replies. "Her influence?"  
  
Kagome nods. "She has claimed me, as her daughter. And she placed a spell on me." She pauses, "Let's simply say that when I'm alone with a man . . . wearing underwear becomes difficult."  
  
A gleam appears in Miroku's eyes.  
  
Sango catches his eyes and glares into his.  
  
He sighs in disappointment.  
  
"Difficult?" Eri asks in a breathless voice.  
  
"Yes. But, during the course of my journey, I managed to change that spell somewhat, but, still, there for a while, my only clothes were a thin robe." Kagome replies. "In a couple days, guys." Her eyes take in all three of her friends. "I'll give you a gift that you'll enjoy." Kagome smiles.  
  
"Gift!?" they squeal.  
  
Kagome nods. "But, it's a gift, so it's secret." She replies.  
  
'I'll wake up their clothes. A present for all those times that I lied to them in the past.' She thinks.  
  
Mrs. H nods, slowly. Her eyes lite up and slight smile crosses her lips. "I've always wondered why I enjoyed . . . " her voice trails off. Her smile grows and she squeezes her daughter's shoulder. "Don't worry, my dear. I understand."  
  
Kagome looks at Ayumi. "The next world, Ayumi, you should like."  
  
Ayumi looks surprised, "Why?"  
  
Kagome smiles, "because Sesshomaru and I had to fight Aliens, like from your movie. And other monsters."  
  
Ayumi, Yuka and Eri look at each other, shocked.  
  
"Aliens?" Sango asks. Miroku and Shippo also ask that same question.  
  
"Big black monsters." Kagome explains to her friends. "Very strong, very fast. With acid for blood."  
  
"How tough?" Sango asks.  
  
"I'll bring over the tape and let you watch it." Ayumi says quickly.  
  
"Sesshomaru lost the battle." Kagome states.  
  
Shippo, Miroku and Sango's eyes widen in shock at that bald statement.  
  
She nods to Jaa Kalpa. "Without Jaa Kalpa's powers, We would have both died on that world."  
  
Kagome swallows. "We barely escaped." She pats Tenseiga, who is by her side. "Without Tenseiga, Sesshomaru would have died then."  
  
She sighs. 'No, I'm not going to tell them about Sesshomaru's possession.' She thinks. 'Nor about my promise to his lustful side.'  
  
She smiles, "but, saving each other's lives, did bring us together."  
  
Miroku raises his eyebrow.  
  
"And not that way!" Kagome sputters at him. "We learned to trust each other." Mrs. H reaches out and pats Kagome's knee. "Good. You should learn to trust people."  
  
Kagome looks at her mother, nods. She sighs. "I do wish that grandfather was alive for what I have to say next." She smiles. "It would have made his year."  
  
Mrs. H raises her eyebrows, "what's this, my dear?"  
  
"The next world that we went to," Kagome pauses, "Was Japan, but it was very early in history."  
  
"Before us?" Miroku asks.  
  
Kagome nods. "It was during the reign of Tenno Oho Yamatohiko Suki Tomona no Mikoto."  
  
Miroku says in a low voice, "The fourth emperor of japan. Itoku."  
  
Kagome nods. "I met him." She glances at everyone in the room. They all seem impressed.  
  
A small smile appears on Kagome's face. "But, grandfather would have really liked what I did with him."  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Sex?" Eri squeaks out.  
  
Kagome shakes her head, no. "No, Eri. Although he wanted to. He was going to marry me."  
  
"Marry you?!" several people in the room yell.  
  
"Yes. Marry me. I even had the marriage robes on." Kagome replies. She sighs. "In order to get out, without causing any change in history, I had to agree to become engaged to the emperor."  
  
"Engaged?" Mrs. H states in a low voice.  
  
Kagome turns to face her mother. She nods. "It was that, or risk a battle between Sesshomaru, myself, and the emperor's guards. And I didn't want that, so."  
  
Kagome's mouth twitches, "So, if I ever return to that world, I'll have to marry him."  
  
"You said that you lost the cube that caused you to vanish, right?" Sango asks. Kagome nods. "Yes. So, it doesn't really matter." She sighs.  
  
"I heard a but in there." Mrs. H remarks.  
  
Kagome pauses, licking her lips as she thinks, 'I did learn a lot about Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha's family, then. But, how much do I tell them? Especially since Inu-yasha doesn't know?'  
  
She nods. "Yes, there are some things I learned on that world that I need to tell Inu-yasha first." A pause, "Or rather, Sesshomaru and I need to tell him."  
  
"Did you do it with Sesshomaru?" Ayumi asks.  
  
"No." Kagome shakes her head. 'Everyone wants to know that . . . ' she rolls her eyes up.  
  
"After that world, we found ourselves on a world where elves, humans were fighting orcs, dragons and demons. Even a monster called a Balrog." Kagome says.  
  
"Kagome?" Yuka asks.  
  
"Yes, Yuka?"  
  
"Did you meet Frodo or Gandalf?" Yuka squeaks out.  
  
"Huh?" Kagome begins. "No. We met an evil demigod named Sauron and a good demigod named Eonwe." A pause.  
  
She looks at Yuka, Eri, Ayumi . . . all of whom have their jaws hanging down.  
  
"Sauron!" Sota squeaks out. "You went to middle earth!"  
  
Kagome blinks, "I don't recognize that world, Sota?"  
  
"Remember that movie we dragged you to, Fellowship of the ring?" Yuka says in an excited voice.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
Kagome blinks and she slumps into the couch. "That's why the name Sauron seemed familiar . . . " she says in a low voice.  
  
"You didn't know?!" Eri asks.  
  
"Nope." Kagome replies. "I just assumed that we were on some random magical world, with elves, orcs and dragons. We arrived just before a major war between good and evil."  
  
"Wait!" Yuka cries. "You said Sauron and Eonwe?"  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
"A major war between them?" Yuka continues.  
  
Kagome nods again.  
  
"The war of wrath." Yuka breathes. "You were there during the war of wrath . . . " Yuka's eyes un focus as she searches her memory.  
  
Kagome looks at Eri and Ayumi.  
  
Eri clears her throat. "Yuka really liked that movie and read the novels it was based on. Ayumi and I tried to read it, but." She shrugs. "We didn't get it." Ayumi nods her agreement.  
  
Yuka shakes herself. She smiles. "Kagome, please, I've got some questions . . . " she begs.  
  
Kagome smiles. "Later, Yuka. You might like the details, but not everyone will."  
  
Yuka sighs. "Ok."  
  
"Nope, I want to know them too!" Sota cries out.  
  
Kagome smiles at him, "I'll tell you too, then."  
  
"What happened on that world?" Sango asks.  
  
"Sesshomaru and I got involved in the war." She nods to Yuka, "The war of wrath, probably. We had a very nasty fight with a Balrog."  
  
"A Balrog?" Sota breathes.  
  
Mrs. h frowns, 'I went with him when he saw that movie. She fought that monster?' she suppresses a shudder. 'And lived?'  
  
Kagome pats Tenseiga again. "I died."  
  
Sango walks over to Kagome and squeezes her shoulder. "Are you?" She asks.  
  
Kagome nods. "I'm fine."  
  
Mrs. h grabs her hand and squeezes.  
  
Kagome sighs, "but, afterward." She pauses. "Sesshomaru and I, finally,"  
  
"Had sex?" Shippo asks.  
  
Kagome shakes her head, slightly amused. "Depends on your definition, Shippo."  
  
Everyone looks at her.  
  
Kagome sighs and looks at her feet. "Before then." She pauses, "before then, Sesshomaru and I had become friends." She licks her lips. "And we knew that we were attracted to each other, but."  
  
Mrs. h squeezes her hand again, hard.  
  
"But," Kagome repeats herself, "As we rested and cleaned up after that fight, things . . . "  
  
"You made a mistake." Sango says in a soft voice as she stands behind Kagome and places her hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Mistake?" Kagome whispers. "I don't know. I do know that after that bath, things between Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru and myself became complex."  
  
"Bath?" Sango asks in a shocked voice.  
  
Kagome, finally looks up and twists to look into Sango's face, "He said it was part of dog demon courtship."  
  
Sango's eyes widen as she blushes beet red. "You did that?"  
  
"Did what?" Miroku asks in a very interesting voice.  
  
Sango looks at him. She pauses. "It's a courtship ritual, Monk."  
  
His eyebrow raises, "And you can perform it?"  
  
Sango, her face still flushed, nods.  
  
Miroku thinks, 'I made a promise, that when Naraku was dead, I'd ask her. The longer I put off asking her, the harder it will be.' He looks around, 'this might not be the perfect time, but, when is?'  
  
Miroku, slowly and deliberately, moves his hand, which is still covered with his rosary in front of him. Sango's eyes follow it. He taps the hard leather with his forefinger.  
  
"I see." He says, in a low voice. "Courtship."  
  
Everyone looks at him.  
  
He looks at his adopted mother. "I should, properly speaking, ask the head of my family for permission to begin courting."  
  
Mrs. H smiles. "Of course. And you have my permission."  
  
He raises an eyebrow. "But, is not Sota." He looks at Sota, "now, the oldest male in the family, so should I not ask him?"  
  
"Me!" Sota squeals and he blushes. He looks around. Everyone is looking at him. "Sure. Of course. No problems." He sputters.  
  
A pause as Sango and Miroku look at each other.  
  
Everyone looks at them, their heads going back and forth, like spectators at a tennis match.  
  
"I am not a proper lady." Sango states.  
  
"I wouldn't like you is you were." Miroku replies. He looks at Mrs. H. "And, I should, properly speaking, ask permission of the head of family of the woman I intend to marry, before I ask her."  
  
Mrs. H nods. "It is nice to know that you are doing this, in a traditional manner. I, as her mother, approve of the match."  
  
Miroku, Sango and Sota's mother look at Sota. He wordlessly nods.  
  
Miroku looks into Sango's eyes.  
  
Sango looks into Miroku's eyes.  
  
"I can wait, if you desire?" Miroku whispers.  
  
Sango looks around. Everyone in the room is staring at her. Her blush intensifies. Her jaws work as she thinks.  
  
"Things are still very much confused right now." She begins.  
  
Miroku slumps, very disappointed. 'I finally work up the courage to ask her, in front of everyone . . . ' he starts to think.  
  
"But." Sango says, interrupting his thoughts. "As long as the ceremony can wait until everything is more settled, you may ask." Miroku's eyes widen. He slowly stands up and walks to Sango.  
  
He kneels in front of her, and he extends the hand covered with the rosary. "Would you do the honor?" he asks in a soft voice.  
  
Sango delicately removes the rosary and the hard leather bracer from Miroku hand and forearm.  
  
Miroku's clean and whole hand grabs hers.  
  
His mouth twitches, "I am embarrassed, Sango, I had a wonderful, romantic speech planned, but, I can't remember a word. So." He pauses, then . . .  
  
"Higurashi Sango, I Higurashi Miroku, wish to marry you." He asks, in a low voice. His head is up and he is looking at her.  
  
Sango looks him in the eyes. Her other hand covers his. "I accept." She whispers.  
  
"And I approve." Their adopted mother says as she stands up.  
  
Kagome, silently, stands up as well.  
  
"Yeah." Sota squeaks out.  
  
"Yes!" "Great!" "Congratulations!" Kagome's friends yell.  
  
Kagome and her mother rush around the couch and hug Sango and Miroku.  
  
The end of chapter 15 Sango and Miroku.  
  
The next chapter Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru part 2 . . .  
  
Author's notes: Kagome where are you was removed by fanfiction,net, not by me. I am reposting it on a 1 chapter per day basis. (I'll have to edit some of the scenes, but the story will remain basically the same.)

the next chapter will be posted on thursday.

Thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	17. Inuyasha & Sesshomaru part 2

Kagome's return chapter 16

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru part 2.  
  
The group walks over to the well. Kagome extends her hands and a few minutes later. They jump down the well.  
  
Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru stand side by side, watching them.  
  
Inu-yasha, as soon as Kagome vanishes, lashes out at Sesshomaru.  
  
The force of the blow causes Sesshomaru to step back a few steps. Inu-yasha's open palm and clawed fingers leave bloody streaks across Sesshomaru's check.  
  
Sesshomaru, his eyes pulsing red, raises his hand to his bloody check. "Have you gotten your anger out of your system, yet?" he asks.  
  
"NO!" Inu-yasha snarls, as he crouches in an attack position. He begins to circle Sesshomaru. "Did you fucking rape her!? What did you do to her?!" he screams.  
  
"Did I rape her? No." Sesshomaru's lips twist into a smile. "And what did I to her? I made her happy."  
  
His eyebrows raise, as he smirks, "can you say that?"  
  
Inu-yasha purples. "I'm going to kill you!" He screams.  
  
Sesshomaru stretches his neck, making it an easy target, the arteries in his neck pulse, "Go ahead, Inu-yasha. I win, if you kill me, though." He smiles.  
  
Sesshomaru thinks, 'Kagome has Tenseiga. She can raise me from the dead. And, if he kills me, especially, if I don't resist, she will find it very hard to forgive him.'  
  
Inu-yasha wordlessly screams in rage . . .  
  
Kirara looks on, watching, whatever happens, Kirara will know and will be able to tell Kagome the truth.  
  
Inu-yasha draws Tetsusaiga and threatens Sesshomaru with it.  
  
'What is he doing?' Inu-yasha thinks, as all Sesshomaru is doing is watching him, with no defensive actions, no offensive actions. 'He wants to die?'  
  
"Do you want to die?" Inu-yasha growls, "Is that how you think that Kagome will forgive you?"  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow as he asks, "And what actions have I done, that requires her forgiveness?" A small pause, "Please, my brother, tell me, what have I done wrong? I want her forgiveness and mercy."  
  
"You fucked her!" Inu-yasha screams.  
  
"I did seduce her." Sesshomaru replies, still in his calm voice. "But, I give her many opportunities to say no."  
  
"That's fucking meaningless! No woman can say no too you!"  
  
"Really? Kagome can, and she did delay things. And, although, I don't know her well enough to be sure, but the demon exterminator would probably decline, as well."  
  
Sesshomaru pauses, "besides why should I ask her forgiveness for making love to her and making her feel good?"  
  
Inu-yasha grinds his teeth and raises Tetsusaiga above his head. 'He's still just standing there, doing nothing?' Inu-yasha thinks. 'My instincts are screaming at me to kill him. But . . . I don't trust him. He obviously wants me to kill him. So, killing him helps him . . . how? Why?'  
  
Sesshomaru allows a small smile to appear on his lips, as he watches metaphysical smoke rise from Inu-yasha's ears, as Inu-yasha thinks. 'I've confused him.' Sesshomaru thinks. 'Not that doing that is difficult, of course. I'll let him sweat for a few minutes, then, I'll begin my arguments.'  
  
'He's fucking smiling!' Inu-yasha growls. He swings Tetsusaiga, just missing Sesshomaru, as the sword cleaves a huge trench in the ground.  
  
Sesshomaru's smile grows.  
  
A pause as Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru glare into each other's eyes.  
  
"Why do you want me to kill you?" Inu-yasha asks.  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "An intelligent question. This Sesshomaru is shocked. I didn't think that you could ask an intelligent question."  
  
Inu-yasha growls, "Shut the fuck up! And answer my god-damned question!" he screams.  
  
'How can I shut up and answer his question at the same time?' Sesshomaru asks himself. 'Once this is over, I must teach him something about logic.'  
  
"Kagome loves you, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru begins to say in a low, tight voice. "She cares about you, intensely. I've heard her cry, smelled her tears, and I've watched her as she has shown me the intensity of her caring and love for you."  
  
"She fucked you." Inu-yasha breaks in harshly. "She can't love me if she's fucked you."  
  
"Sex, or fucking, if you prefer," Sesshomaru replies, "is not love, Inu-yasha." He says in an intense voice. "I should know that. Like you indicted earlier, my brother, I can have sex, or fuck, with any woman that I wish. And when I was your age, I did."  
  
Sesshomaru glares at Inu-yasha, "You may not remember it, but, I did fuck a lot of the servants and concubines. I'm quite sure that your mother would have mentioned it."  
  
Inu-yasha licks his lips, Tetsusaiga drops from its attack position as Inu-yasha dredges his memory. After a few seconds, he nods, acknowledging Sesshomaru's statement.  
  
"I was told by more women than I care to remember, that she loved me, with all of her heart. I heard many, many love poems, songs and romances." Sesshomaru continues in a low sad voice. "But, all of them were lying." He finishes in a hard tone.  
  
"The only woman that I've meant that hasn't lied to me about love is Kagome." Sesshomaru glares at Inu-yasha.  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes open wide.  
  
"Like yourself, my senses can tell when someone is lying or concealing something." He continues. "She hasn't concealed her feelings about you, Inu-yasha. Kagome loves and cares for you, greatly."  
  
"Then she's got a fucking weird way of showing it." Inu-yasha spits out.  
  
"Really?" Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"  
  
"IF she's fucking you, she loves you, and so she doesn't love me." Inu-yasha replies.  
  
"Is love only between a man and woman?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
"Of course." Inu-yasha replies.  
  
"So, Kagome doesn't love and care for Shippo. She doesn't love or care for her mother and brother. She doesn't love or care for Sango or Miroku?"  
  
"God-damn it, Sesshomaru! That's not what I meant!" Inu-yasha screams.  
  
"Really?" Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. "Did you mean love between a man and man or a woman and woman? I know that my senses tell me that such love affairs exist, doesn't yours?"  
  
"You can only love one person at a time!" inu-yasha screams.  
  
"Like your feelings for Kikyo and Kagome? You only loved one of them?"  
  
A timeless pause . . .  
  
Birds sing in the trees. The wind rustles the leaves.  
  
'Now it gets interesting.' Kirara thinks.  
  
Inu-yasha lets Tetsusaiga's point fall to the ground.  
  
"Kagome loves you, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru says again. "She also, has fallen in love with me."  
  
Sesshomaru chuckles, "And I, Sesshomaru, lord of the western lands, a demon with a heart that would freeze a volcano, have fallen in love with her."  
  
Another silent pause.  
  
"To answer your question about why I want you to kill me?" Sesshomaru says into the silence. "If you kill me, especially since I'm not going to resist, Kagome will not like that. She will, since she has Tenseiga and can use it, raise me from the dead and she will blame you, Inu-yasha."  
  
"And that helps you . . . " Inu-yasha whispers.  
  
"It helps me, because, she will still feel good things about me. But, you, on the other hand, you go into her doghouse." Sesshomaru smirks.  
  
Inu-yasha growls at that term. "She'll forgive me." He says, "She always has in the past."  
  
"She may have cared for, even liked, the other men in her past, Inu-yasha, but did she love them?"  
  
Inu-yasha glares at Sesshomaru.  
  
"In my perfect world, Inu-yasha. Kagome and I live happily ever after. As a couple." Sesshomaru's mouth twitches, "And, no doubt, with Shippo, Rin and a few others."  
  
"But not me." Inu-yasha states through clenched teeth.  
  
Sesshomaru nods.  
  
"In Kagome's perfect world." Sesshomaru continues, "you, I, and her, live happily ever after."  
  
"That's stupid!"  
  
"It allows her to love both of us. If she chooses only one of us, the other will be hurt. Do you think that Kagome likes to hurt you?"  
  
A pause. "No" Inu-yasha whispers. "She hates it. She hates hurting anyone."  
  
"And, If she chooses, say, you, inu-yasha, what would I do?" Sesshomaru says in a tight voice. "If she rejects me." His fists form, and blood begins to drip from them.  
  
"What would you do?" inu-yasha asks in a surprised tone.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"My blood is screaming at me to kill you and her. Slowly, painfully." Sesshomaru whispers. He takes a deep breath. "No. I won't." His voice is rough and full of emotion.  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes open wide. 'I never would have thought that he was this emotional.' He thinks.  
  
Sesshomaru continues, but his voice is still rough with emotion. "But, I would have nothing else to live for. Dying in combat, then." He nods. "Fighting a god. Yes. Hachiman, the god of war, perhaps. Dying in combat against him would be a good death."  
  
Sesshomaru blinks. 'Gods . . . there is something, about that statement that I need to consider.'  
  
"Rin?" inu-yasha whispers.  
  
Sesshomaru takes a deep breath. "Yes, there is her. But, that would only delay things by a few years."  
  
Sesshomaru sighs, "right now, I am the center of her life. But, in a decade?" He shrugs. "She will, in all likelihood, find a young human male and marry him. I will be her father, but that's it."  
  
Inu-yasha stares at Sesshomaru, his eyes wide, as he hears Sesshomaru whispers, "without Kagome's love, is my life worth living? Is a life full of death and war worth living, especially, after being in love?"  
  
Sesshomaru shakes himself, obviously, trying to stop thinking about that. He looks at Inu-yasha, "What would you do, if Kagome rejects you?"  
  
Inu-yasha blinks in confusion.  
  
"Go to hell and be with Kikyo?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
Inu-yasha nods, once.  
  
Sesshomaru sighs, heavily. "I love Kagome, enough, that I'm willing to forgo my perfect world and try to live in hers. Do you love her enough to do the same?"  
  
"With you." Inu-yasha snarls.  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "The three of us." He pauses, "No, actually, it would be more. Shippo, Rin, Sango and Miroku would be part of the family."  
  
"No." Inu-yasha growls as he shakes his head. "Kagome is mine, alone."  
  
Sesshomaru glares at him, anger in his eyes. "Kagome is Kagome's, not yours. And even with me out of the way, Shippo, Sango and Miroku will still be with her. You can't have her and only her. I can't have her and only her."  
  
Inu-yasha glares at the ground, unmoving.  
  
"Do you really think that you'll be able to control who she will be with?" Sesshomaru asks. "Are you that jealous of Shippo? Of myself?"  
  
Inu-yasha picks Tetsusaiga's point off the ground and places it into an attack position.  
  
"You are." Sesshomaru spits out. "My little brother, you are an idiot."  
  
They glare at each other.  
  
"Think. Use your brains for once, Inu-yasha, not your muscles." Sesshomaru growls out angrily. "What would happen if you did drive Shippo away? Would Kagome praise you?"  
  
Inu-yasha takes a couple of deep breathes.  
  
"Or would that drive her away?"  
  
More deep breathes from Inu-yasha.  
  
"I'll tell you what will happen, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru glares at him. "You might be able to force her to stay with you. I don't think you could, but, I'll forgo that argument. But, if you do force her to stay, she'll never love you like she does."  
  
"She'll forgive me." Inu-yasha finally says. "She'll forgive just about anything."  
  
A pause.  
  
"You may be correct about that Inu-yasha. She might forgive you for driving me off and breaking her bond with me. She might forgive you for driving Shippo off and breaking her bond with him. She might forgive you for driving off her family and breaking her bond with them." Sesshomaru nods. "She's that type of a person. But. Will she love you like she does now? Or will that love change? Perhaps for the worse."  
  
A pause.  
  
"And, Inu-yasha, here is the most important question. Can you take that chance?" Sesshomaru asks.  
  
Another pause, as Inu-yasha hyperventilates.  
  
"Especially, since, she still loves you and if you try to make her perfect world come true, she'll love you even more."  
  
"You're trying to trick me like you've tricked her." Inu-yasha growls.  
  
Sesshomaru rolls his eyes at inu-yasha's denseness.  
  
"I am not tricking you, little brother."  
  
"Then why?" Inu-yasha screams! "Nothing I know about you says that'll you'll share!" He waves Tetsusaiga. "This and Tenseiga! We were supposed to share them, but!"  
  
"I was wrong about that, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru breaks into his rant. "Tetsusaiga is yours. That I freely admit."  
  
He licks his lips. 'If I mean that, I've got to go through with it.' He thinks.  
  
Sesshomaru bows, about halfway to inu-yasha. And from the bowed position, says, "I do apologize for the unprovoked attacks that I did against you."  
  
Tetsusaiga's point hits the ground, with a thump. "You apologized . . . " Inu-yasha whispers.  
  
Sesshomaru rises up from the bowed position. "Of course. I made a mistake. And you, if you are polite, apologize for them."  
  
"You apologized." Inu-yasha repeats as he looks at Sesshomaru. He blinks. Several times. "What did she do you?" He asks in a very confused tone.  
  
'He never apologizes. Sesshomaru never makes a mistake.' Inu-yasha thinks . . .  
  
"Finally." Sesshomaru spits out. "Finally," He repeats himself, "I've gotten through that thick skull of yours."  
  
Inu-yasha growls at him.  
  
A pause.  
  
"Kagome is my chance to live a life with love." Sesshomaru begins to talk in a low voice. "Before her, all my life was full of war and rumors of wars. Love. Love was a trap, a fake, something that my enemies would dangle in front of me, trying to kill me."  
  
Sesshomaru glares at Inu-yasha. "She loves me." He pounds his chest. "And I love her."  
  
Inu-yasha glares at Sesshomaru.  
  
"But, she also loves you, as well." Sesshomaru pauses. "And, she doesn't want to hurt you. She doesn't want to hurt me."  
  
"And?" Inu-yasha says after a pause full of tension.  
  
"I, Sesshomaru, Lord of the western lands, will, due to my love for Kagome, place her desires before my own." He growls out. "IT is her desire, that we three live together."  
  
"Her alone?" Inu-yasha whispers.  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"I did think about it first and give her the idea." Sesshomaru replies.  
  
"WHY!?" Inu-yasha screams.  
  
"Because she wouldn't stop loving you!" Sesshomaru screams! He moves, fast . . . and a blink of an eye, Tetsusaiga is flying through the air and Sesshomaru has Inu-yasha by the throat.  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes widen in shock. They focus on Sesshomaru's free hand, it is glowing green and acid is dripping from it. Sesshomaru's other hand is around Inu-yasha's throat and is lifting him off the ground.  
  
"Damn you, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru growls through clenched teeth. "Will you think!? Will you hurt her!? Or will you help her!?"  
  
"You can't kill me." Inu-yasha whispers through his constricted throat.  
  
Sesshomaru takes deep breath and shoves Inu-yasha to the ground. "You're right, damn you. Killing you would hurt Kagome and I can't do that."  
  
"And killing you would hurt her." Inu-yasha says in a hoarse voice as he rubs his throat. He is sitting up from the push Sesshomaru gave him.  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "And leaving Kagome would hurt her. Not that I can leave her."  
  
Inu-yasha nods.  
  
A pause.  
  
"I will put Kagome's desires above mine own, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru begins to say, "Will you do the same?"  
  
Inu-yasha glares at his brother. He opens his mouth to speak . . .  
  
End of chapter 16.  
  
An evil cliffhanger . . . Grin. . .  
  
thank you for reading  
  
jeff shelton


	18. it begins

Kagome's return's chapter 17

it begins...

"Because she wouldn't stop loving you!" Sesshomaru screams! He moves, fast . . . and a blink of an eye, Tetsusaiga is flying through the air and Sesshomaru has Inu-yasha by the throat.  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes widen in shock. They focus on Sesshomaru's free hand, it is glowing green and acid is dripping from it.  
Sesshomaru's other hand is around Inu-yasha's throat and is lifting him off the ground.  
  
"Damn you, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru growls through clenched teeth.  
"Will you think!? Will you hurt her!? Or will you help her!?"  
  
"You can't kill me." Inu-yasha whispers through his constricted throat.  
  
Sesshomaru takes deep breath and shoves Inu-yasha to the ground.  
"You're right, damn you. Killing you would hurt Kagome and I can't do that."  
  
"And killing you would hurt her." Inu-yasha says in a hoarse voice as he rubs his throat. He is sitting up from the push Sesshomaru gave him.  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "And leaving Kagome would hurt her. Not that I can leave her."  
  
Inu-yasha nods. 'Same here. I can't leave her.' He thinks.  
A pause.  
  
"I will put Kagome's desires above mine own, Inu-yasha."  
Sesshomaru begins to say, "Will you do the same?"  
  
Inu-yasha glares at his brother. He opens his mouth to speak. He closes it with a snap.  
  
"Well?" Sesshomaru growls out.  
  
"I'm going to hear about Kagome's perfect world from her lips,  
not yours." Inu-yasha spits out. "For all I know, all this has been a trick!"  
  
His eyes narrow, as he thinks, 'this could be some trick to make me seem more like Miroku. I can see him proposing to two women,  
even at the same time. And if I tell Kagome that I'm willing to try to be with her and Sesshomaru at the same time that sounds a lot like one of Miroku's schemes.'  
  
Sesshomaru nods. "An adequate answer. Even, given our history,  
better than one could expect." He says in a very reasonable tone.  
  
"You're not going to force me to answer, yes?" Inu-yasha asks in a puzzled tone.  
  
Sesshomaru shakes his head, no. "I'm not, little brother. For two reasons: first, I know enough about love, that it has come from the heart, and forcing you to say yes, would not be a good idea."  
  
"And the second?"  
  
Sesshomaru's raises an eyebrow. "Part of me wants you to say, no.  
Because once you reject that plan, you will try to make her yours. And, right now, your jealousy and possessiveness will drive her away and into my arms."  
  
Inu-yasha growls, deep in his chest. "I don't like it, or you."  
He slams his fist into the ground. "I wish I could rip your head off and piss down your bleeding neck."  
  
"You are welcome to try, little brother."  
  
Inu-yasha glares at Sesshomaru.  
  
Sesshomaru gazes back, without expression.  
  
A silent pause . . .  
  
"You will listen to her?" Sesshomaru asks in quiet voice.  
  
Inu-yasha, after a long pause, slowly nods.  
  
"Good. Excellent." Sesshomaru replies. "The best reply I was hoping for, in fact."  
  
"Huh?" Inu-yasha blurts out. "I thought that you wanted me to say yes?"  
  
"When she left, you weren't listening to her. You were fighting her and screaming at her." Sesshomaru replies. "Now, You've just promised to listen to her, not fight her."  
  
Inu-yasha growls, "I don't like it when you put words in my mouth. I didn't promise a thing."  
  
Sesshomaru rolls his eyes and sighs. "Fine. Have it your way,  
then, Inu-yasha." He points to Kirara. "You are aware that we had an observer."  
  
Inu-yasha looks at Kirara . . . his eyes widen.  
  
Kirara mews, softly, in the trees.  
  
"You weren't. Why does that not surprise me?" Sesshomaru bemoans.  
  
"Fuck you." Inu-yasha sneers.  
  
'Brilliant conversationalist . . . ' Sesshomaru thinks. 'I've got to see if Kagome can fix that.'  
  
"You will listen to her?" Sesshomaru asks again.  
  
"I said I would, damn it!" inu-yasha screams. He waves his fist at Sesshomaru. "I just wish I could rip your face off!"  
  
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. 'It would be best if he could burn off some his energy in combat. If he's already had a real fight,  
he might not fight with Kagome.' He thinks.  
  
Sesshomaru moves into a basic defensive position and forms his acid whip.  
  
Inu-yasha quickly grabs Tetsusaiga and moves into a defensive position.  
  
'What is going on?' Kirara thinks. 'I didn't think that they would fight?'  
  
Sesshomaru pauses, and shifts his head. 'Perhaps, instead of me .  
. . there is another target. Someone that I would enjoy killing,  
as well.' He thinks.  
  
Inu-yasha, still in his defensive position looks in the same direction. 'Is he sensing something? A possible attacker?' Inu-  
yasha thinks.  
  
"Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru begins to speak in a very low voice, only Inu-yasha's superb senses allow him to hear him. Even Kirara is too far away to understand the whispers.  
  
"What?" Inu-yasha whispers back. "A demon or something?"  
  
"Something." Sesshomaru continues, still in that low whisper,  
"While we were traveling, Kagome found out that the Jewel and all the adventures and trails that she and you went through were tests."  
  
"Tests?" Inu-yasha hisses.  
  
"Yes, tests." Sesshomaru's eyes narrow. "For what, exactly, I don't know. Kagome, I think, has found out, but, between Naraku,  
Sango's brother, and us, she hasn't had time to tell anyone."  
  
"What do you know?"  
  
"That Go-Shin-Boku-kami was the one that was testing her and you."  
  
"The fucking god tree?" Inu-yasha squeaks. He growls. "That makes sense. His motherfucking spring fertility festival. He manipulated and caused that orgy to happen. I hated being possessed and fucking Kagome in public."  
  
"I found being shifted from world to world, against my will, to be offensive as well, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru growls. "Kagome told me, that the god tree on her side of the well, is the creature that is powering the well."  
  
Inu-yasha's eyes narrow. "She stopped you from attacking him,  
didn't she?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
A pause.  
  
Inu-yasha lowers Tetsusaiga and looks at Sesshomaru. He smirks and begins to speak in a normal volume. "Big Brother,"  
Sesshomaru's eyebrows raise, but his doesn't say a thing.  
  
"Since, if you are correct about Kagome's desires, we will need to get along, perhaps you and I should take a stroll."  
  
"And talk?" Sesshomaru smiles, showing his fangs.  
  
Inu-yasha smiles back, showing his fangs. "Of course. I'm sure you'll find the conversation very enjoyable."  
  
"Of course. I enjoy a good conversation."  
  
Both brothers begin to walk, slowly toward the god tree. As they walk, Sesshomaru begins to tell Inu-yasha about his and Kagome's travels.  
  
"You do know, that no matter what, I still don't trust you." Inu-  
yasha whispers to Sesshomaru.  
  
"And you do know, that no matter what, I am your superior."  
Sesshomaru whispers back.  
  
Kirara follows . . .  
  
Since I am evil . . . I'll leave it there.  
  
But, since I'm not that evil, I won't end the chapter . . .  
  
On the other side of the well . . . (continuing from chapter 15)  
  
Miroku's clean and whole hand grabs hers.  
  
His mouth twitches, "I am embarrassed, Sango, I had a wonderful,  
romantic speech planned, but, I can't remember a word. So." He pauses, then . . .  
  
"Higurashi Sango, I Higurashi Miroku, wish to marry you." He asks, in a low voice. His head is up and he is looking at her.  
  
Sango looks at him in the eyes. Her other hand covers his. "I accept." She whispers.  
  
"And I approve." Their adopted mother says as she stands up.  
  
Kagome, silently, stands up as well.  
  
"Yeah." Sota squeaks out.  
  
"Yes!" "Great!" "Congratulations!" Kagome's friends yell.  
  
Kagome and her mother rush around the couch and hug Sango and Miroku.  
  
"I would have thought you would have done it with more romance?"  
Kagome whispers to Miroku as they hug each other.  
  
"I wanted to." Miroku whispers back. He looks at Sango, who is listening, "but, I made a promise that once Naraku was dead, I'd ask. And, this is the first chance I really had. Also, once your brother wakes up, you'll be distracted."  
  
Sango nods. "I do appreciate it, Monk. No. Miroku." She whispers.  
  
"Tonight, unless something comes up," their mother whispers, "you two can use my bedroom."  
  
"Are you sure?" Sango squeaks.  
  
Mrs. H smiles. "I'll be Ok."  
  
"What are you four whispering about?" One of Kagome's friends calls.  
  
They break the group hug. "Just stuff, Eri." Kagome says as she and her mother sit back down on the couch.  
  
Miroku, his hand holding Sango's, goes to the chair and he sits down on it. "I don't like being fondled in public." Sango says as she looks down at him. He obviously wants her to sit in his lap.  
  
"Up" Sango growls. "You get up, and I'll sit down. And then, you can sit on my lap."  
  
Miroku looks around the room. 'She's got a lot of support here,  
doesn't she? Her newly adopted mother and sister, who also just happens to be her best friend. Her best friends three female friends, and little brother and adopted son.' He sighs and stands up.  
  
Sango's lips twitch into a quick smile, as she sits down.  
  
Miroku, after another sigh, sits down on Sango's lap.  
  
She, easily, picks him up, and shifts him, so he fits comfortably on her lap.  
  
"If I was sitting on your lap." Sango whispers into his ear.  
"You'd perform outrages on me. I am very tempted, to do the same." Her hands, still around his waist, move suggestively.  
"But, instead, I will set an example of proper behavior for you."  
  
'Proper behavior,' Miroku thinks, 'is what? What other people think is proper? And if that's the case, are they correct or are they wrong?' He sighs, 'at least, once things settle down some, I can teach her about what is the correct behavior. My way.'  
  
"When will you two get married?" Yuka asks.  
  
Sango and Miroku twist to share a glance. "That is hard to say."  
Sango begins. "There's my brother. There is Kagome, Inu-yasha and know Sesshomaru to consider."  
  
"The village has been destroyed, as well." Miroku adds. "We'll be busy helping them, as well. It could be some months before the official ceremony."  
  
Sango nods, agreeing with him. She looks at Kagome. "You will do the honor?"  
  
Kagome smiles. "I'll kill anyone that tries to stop me."  
  
'It's not traditional for a miko to consecrate the marriage,  
but.' Miroku thinks. 'Like Kagome says, I can't think of anyone I'd rather have to it.'  
  
'hmmm.' Shippo thinks. 'Now that they're out of the way.'  
  
"What about you, Kagome?" Shippo asks. "You were talking about your adventures."  
  
"And courtship!" Yuka purrs as she continues to fondle Shippo's tail.  
  
Kagome looks around the room, and instead of looking at Sango and Miroku, everyone is looking at her.  
  
She sighs. "Courtship, Yuka?" She nods. "Yes, Sesshomaru and I courted, among other things."  
  
Her mouth twitches, and a far away look appears in her eyes. "I told him things that I've been wishing to tell Inu-yasha. He told me things that he's never told anyone, or even wished to tell anyone."  
  
She turns to look at her mother. "Which is, I suppose, where it started?"  
  
"what started?" her mother asks.  
  
"The conversations that we had." Kagome replies, still with a far away gleam in her eyes. "I started to open up with him. And,  
unlike Inu-yasha, who always pushes me away, he started to open up to me."  
  
Kagome glances at Miroku and Sango. "Oh, we knew that there was a physical attraction between us. We even knew that, probably sooner or later, we'd allow that physical attraction to lead to sex, but." She pauses.  
  
"But?" Sango asks.  
  
"It was the conversations that we were having that changed things, Sango." Kagome slowly nods. "Oh, I still might have. No.  
I'll be honest." She says as she shakes her head. "We would have fucked each other. But, without those conversations, all that fucking would have meant to us was just a momentary pleasuring on our bodies, nothing else."  
  
"But you talked to each, instead of fighting?" Miroku asks.  
  
Kagome nods. "Oh, there were times when we'd disagree about things. Sesshomaru firmly believes that killing everyone and letting the gods sort them out is a good strategy. Whereas I'm always trying to find a way to avoid death and destruction."  
  
Mrs. H places her hand Kagome's thigh, as they sit on the couch.  
"your's is the correct path."  
  
Kagome smiles, "I know. I've even changed his mind enough to allow me to make an attempt at a peaceful solution." She sighs.  
  
'But, talking with Sesshomaru is so much more than anything that Inu-yasha has ever done with me.' Kagome thinks. 'I've adventured with inu-yasha. He's saved my life, I've saved his, but, because he won't talk to me, I think, I know less about him than I do Sesshomaru.'  
  
"Talking to lord Sesshomaru led to what?" Rin asks from the floor, as she sits with Sota.  
  
Kagome looks at Rin. 'How do I say this? Especially to her?' she thinks.  
  
A long pause as all the adults and teenagers in the room wait to see how Kagome will handle that question.  
  
"Led lord Sesshomaru and I into making love to each other."  
Kagome replies. Her mouth twists into a smile. "I never understood how Inu-yasha could love Kikyo and I at the same time.  
Now, I can. Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru have each captured part of my heart."  
  
A pause.  
  
"Are you Rin's mother now?" Rin asks.  
  
Another pause.  
  
"I will, if you want me to be." Kagome replies. "And, Rin, that is will be true no matter what happens between Inu-yasha,  
Sesshomaru and myself."  
  
A pause.  
  
Rin stands up and walks to Kagome. Tears begin to form in her eyes. "Rin . . . doesn't remember her mother."  
  
Kagome gives Shippo to Yuka as she slides off the couch and hugs Rin. "Cry." She whispers.  
  
Rin hugs Kagome as she cries into Kagome's shoulder.  
  
Kagome, after a couple of minutes, leans back against the couch as she sits on the floor. She drags Rin's body into her lap and watches as Rin curls into a ball as she lays on Kagome's stomach.  
  
"No matter what, Rin." Kagome says in a low emotion filled voice.  
"No matter what, I'll be here for you."  
  
Time passes as Rin softly cries . . .  
  
Mrs. H bends over and whispers into Kagome's ear. "Will you be there for everyone?"  
  
"Probably not." Kagome answers back. "But, which is better.  
Trying to be there for everyone, and maybe, failing? Or only being there for yourself?"  
  
Mrs. h reaches down and squeezes Kagome's shoulder. "I am proud to have as my daughter." She says in a low voice.  
  
Everyone in the room, softly agrees with Mrs. h.  
  
Kagome flicks her eyes to Sango in time to see Sango's nod.  
  
After a short time, Rin stops crying, but she still remains in Kagome's lap.  
  
"What happened with you and Sesshomaru?" Eri, finally, asks.  
  
"We made love to each other and fell in love with each other."  
Kagome replies, speaking in a soft, emotion filled voice.  
  
"Inu-yasha?" Miroku asks in a gentle voice.  
  
Kagome looks at him. "That's the odd thing, Miroku. I always assumed that if I ever fell in love with someone else, I'd stop loving Inu-yasha."  
  
She licks her lips. "But, that never happened. If anything, being away from him, caused my feelings for him to increase." She shakes her head, "but, it didn't stop my heart from feeling love and caring for Sesshomaru at the same time."  
  
"So you still love Inu-yasha?" Ayumi asks. "And Sesshomaru, at the same time?"  
  
Kagome nods.  
  
Various people in the room look at each other, all of them thinking the same thing. 'Kagome's got a choice to make and it'll be a hard one.'  
  
"What are you going to do?" Eri asks.  
  
A pause . . . as nothing happens.  
  
"Kagome?" Her mother says.  
  
Kagome sighs. She glares at Miroku. "I don't want to hear a word from you, by the way."  
  
"Me?" Miroku asks, very surprised. "My dear sister, except for Sota, I'm the only male in this room. If I do something that you don't like, what do you think would happen to me? Especially since I'm sitting on Sango's lap" he says as he wiggles his ass into Sango's lap.  
  
"Grr." Sango growls into his ear, as the other females in the room giggle at Miroku's speech. "You're about to find out."  
  
"Yes, dear." Miroku whispers back.  
  
"You're trying to upset me." Sango hisses.  
  
Miroku smiles, without saying a word.  
  
Kagome looks around the room. She sighs again. 'How to explain'  
she thinks.  
  
She looks at the floor, so she doesn't have to stare at anyone's face. "Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka, you three do know that in the past,  
it was Ok for a man to have two or more wives, right?"  
  
"Yes." Eri replies.  
  
"And concubines," Yuka replies.  
  
"And probably sex slaves." Ayumi adds.  
  
Most of the people in the room look at Ayumi. Miroku has a weird gleam in his eye. At least he does until Sango hand squeezes him,  
hard.  
  
Kagome, who keeps her eyes on the floor, continues, "well,  
Sesshomaru and I were talking, and, he came up with the idea that."  
  
"Both of them." Sango interrupts. "You want to marry both of them at the same time!"  
  
Kagome nods, without looking at her friend, or anybody.  
  
Both anyone else can speak . . .  
  
"That's great!" Ayumi calls out. A daydreaming look in her eyes.  
"Both of them at the same time!"  
  
At the same time . . .  
  
"That's horrible!" Eri calls out. "You can only love one person at a time!"  
  
Kagome looks at Eri. "Why? What rule? Does, my heart has to follow that rule?"  
  
"Why?" Eri replies. "But. But. It just doesn't happen."  
  
"Does that make it wrong?" Kagome asks, "and, if so, why does it make it wrong?"  
  
"Jealousy and possessiveness." Miroku gently breaks in. "Those emotions can disrupt a simple relationship between a man and a woman. With a woman and two men, those emotions becomes even more powerful and more likely to destroy that relationship."  
  
Kagome looks at Miroku. She nods. "But, those emotions are not absolute, are they Miroku? Those emotions can be controlled. And,  
given the right people, a relationship like that can work."  
  
He nods. "In principal you are correct, Lady Kagome. With the proper training, those emotions are controllable and such a three-way relationship can be stable." He raises a hand in a stop signal. "But."  
  
"But, can Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru control their emotions."  
Kagome says as soon as she hears Miroku's 'but.'  
  
He nods.  
  
Kagome sighs, deeply. "I don't know, Miroku. Sesshomaru and I have had long talks about jealousy and possessiveness. He's pretty sure that he can control his."  
  
"Are you sure?" Shippo asks. "What about all those fights over Tetsusaiga? That doesn't strike me as a man that can share."  
  
Kagome nods at Shippo's question. "We've talked about that, as well, Shippo." She pauses. "I'm sure that dealing with Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga will be harder than he thinks."  
  
Her lips twitch. "But, he's promised me that he'll do it. And I don't think he'll want to disappoint me."  
  
"Sesshomaru?" Shippo squeals. "Are you sure?"  
  
Kagome nods. "I have to trust him and I will."  
  
"Inu-yasha?" Sango asks.  
  
Kagome looks at the ground. "I don't know." She whispers.  
  
A long Silence . . .  
  
"Kagome?" her mother whispers, loudly into the silence.  
  
"I don't know, mom!" Kagome cries out. She pulls Rin close to her and begins to cry into Rin's shoulder.  
  
Her mother, instantly, slides off the couch and gathers Kagome and Rin into her arms.  
  
Sango, instantly, picks Miroku up and stands up, places him down,  
and moves to Mrs. H and Kagome. She, stops, suddenly her hands formed into fists. 'I don't know what to do.' She thinks. 'There is no one here to hit.'  
  
Miroku, gestures for Sota to stand next to him, as he stands up.  
Sota moves next to Miroku.  
  
Kagome's three friends, who looked at Sango as she moved, all recoil away from her. The look in Sango's eyes . . . They've never stared into the eyes of a stone-cold warrior before.  
  
"Mom," Kagome sobs, "I want everything to work out. I want to live happily ever after, but."  
  
"Everything will fine." Her mother  
  
"Inu-yasha will never agree to this!" Kagome wails. "I know him. He'll never do it! I've tried to believe it! I want to believe it! But, it'll never happen." Her voice fades into sobs as she cries.  
  
"Shush," Mrs. H begins to rock her daughter, as Rin, quietly slips out between them and stands next to Sango.  
  
"They're fighting." Kagome sobs. "Right now, on the other side of the well, they are fighting. And only one of them will live. I know this." She wails. "And the worse part, I don't know who I want to live . . . "  
  
"Everything will be fine." Kagome's mother whispers. "You'll see.  
It will work out in the end."  
  
"How?" Kagome asks. "Inu-yasha is so jealous. He is so possessive . . . "  
  
"He loves you." Mrs. h states in a no-nonsense tone. "Right?"  
  
Kagome nods, rubbing her head against her mother's shoulder.  
  
"He'll die for you, right?"  
  
"Yes." Kagome whispers.  
  
"You love him."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You would die for him."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then, by all the gods, he'll put your feelings before his own."  
Kagome's mother declares. "Otherwise, he's lying to you."  
  
"But, shouldn't I put his feeling before mine?" Kagome asks.  
  
A pause . . . as everyone looks at Kagome's mother, watching her.  
  
"That, my dear, is for you to decide." Mrs. H whispers. "But,  
before you do, think about how your decision will affect the people you love and care for. And consider, will Inu-yasha, or Sesshomaru, for that matter, think about how their decisions will affect others, or do they only care about themselves?"  
  
A pause . . .  
  
"Sesshomaru will consider my opinions." Kagome replies. "He's shown that and I trust him to continue doing that."  
  
"Inu-yasha?" Mrs. H asks.  
  
"I don't know." Kagome whispers. "There's times when I think he would, then, there's times when he doesn't care what I think,  
he's made a decision and I have no say in it."  
  
"I think, Kagome," Sango says, as she stands next to Kagome.  
"Until inu-yasha can show that he will listen to you that you have to think for yourself."  
  
Kagome looks up at her best friend, tears falling from her checks. "Are you sure?" she whispers.  
  
Sango nods. "I like Inu-yasha. In combat, I'll trust his judgments without question. But, outside combat? Especially where love is concerned?" Sango shakes her head. "I'll trust your judgment far more than I'll trust his."  
  
Sango kneels down and hugs Kagome's shoulders. "If you say that you and Sesshomaru are in love, together. I'll believe you and I'll help you, without question."  
  
Sango's lips twist. "And, if that means, helping you create some sort of three-way relationship, so be it." She stares into Kagome's eyes. "I trust you."  
  
"Thank you, Sango." Kagome whispers. Mrs. h lets go of her daughter, allowing Sango room to kneel next to her.  
  
Sango hugs her best friend, tightly. "You do know that your going to be in the middle, as those two fight for your affection?" she whispers.  
  
Kagome sighs, "I know. It won't be pretty, especially at first.  
But. I've had a while to think about this, and I've got a plan."  
  
"I hope so." Sango whispers back. "I'll help."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Mrs. h reaches out and grabs Kagome's shoulder. "Are you all right, now?"  
  
Kagome looks at her mother and at her best friend. "I'm better,  
mom." She sighs, "I just wish that I knew what was happening on the other side of the well."  
  
"I don't have to hear the rest of your story, right now." Mrs. h says. "If you wish to go back through the well, without finishing this, go ahead."  
  
Kagome looks at her mother. Her mother nods.  
  
Kagome looks around the room. After a hurried whispered conference, all three of her friends nods. (Yuka looks a bit pissed, but . . . )  
  
Everyone else, nods.  
  
Kagome takes a deep breath and nods. "In that case, I'll leave right now."  
  
Sango stands up, picking Kagome up in the process. "I'll walk you to the well." Sango glares at the room, "I'd like to have a private moment with you." Her glare freezes the room.  
  
"Ok." Kagome says in a shaky voice.  
  
Sango and Kagome leave the house and go to the well house.  
  
"You do know that Inu-yasha will visit geishas, trying to upset you?" Sango asks.  
  
Kagome sighs. "I can see him doing that."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And, I'll ignore it. They don't matter to him. He'd only be doing it too upset me."  
  
Sango nods. "You do know that Miroku will try to horn himself in."  
  
"Inu-yasha's and Sesshomaru's glares should stop that."  
  
Sango nods. "Perhaps, at least for a while." She sighs, "but,  
what about this?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sooner or later, Inu-yasha will try to come onto me."  
  
Kagome looks at Sango, her eyes wide. "Huh?"  
  
"He'll figure out that his plan with the geisha's isn't working,  
so he'll try it with someone that he and you care about."  
  
"You."  
  
Sango nods.  
  
Kagome reaches out and grabs Sango's hands. "I trust you, Sango."  
  
"And?"  
  
"You'll never try to hurt me or hurt him."  
  
Sango smiles. "I'll live up to your trust."  
  
"That went without saying." Kagome smiles.  
  
Her eyes flick to the well. "I really need to leave. I'll feeling something."  
  
Sango looks at the well. "Hurry back."  
  
Kagome nods and jumps down the well.  
  
On the side of the well . . .  
  
Kagome frowns, instantly, as she appears.  
  
She jumps up and out of the well and looks around.  
  
She turns into the direction of the god tree.  
  
"What did you two do!?" she cries.  
  
She starts to run in that direction . . .  
  
The end chapter 17 . . .  
  
thank you for reading jeff shelton 


	19. kagome and Inuyasha part 1

Kagome's return chapter 18

Inu-yasha and kagome part 1

Inu-yasha lowers Tetsusaiga and looks at Sesshomaru. He smirks and begins to speak in a normal volume. "Big Brother," Sesshomaru's eyebrows raise, but his doesn't say a thing.

"Since, if you are correct about Kagome's desires, we will need to get along, perhaps you and I should take a stroll."

"And talk?" Sesshomaru smiles, showing his fangs.

Inu-yasha smiles back, showing his fangs. "Of course. I'm sure you'll find the conversation very enjoyable."

"Of course. I enjoy a good conversation."

Both brothers begin to walk, slowly, toward the god tree. As they walk, Sesshomaru begins to tell Inu-yasha about his and Kagome's travels.

"You do know, that no matter what, I still don't trust you." Inu-yasha whispers to Sesshomaru.

"And you do know, that no matter what, I am your superior." Sesshomaru whispers back.

Kirara follows . . .

At the well . . .

Kagome frowns, instantly, as she appears.

She jumps up and out of the well and looks around.

She turns into the direction of the god tree.

"What did you two do!?" she cries.

She starts to run in that direction . . .

Kagome stops at the edge of the god tree's clearing.

Sesshomaru, with his acid whip twirling, is attacking the god tree at his fastest speed.

Inu-yasha, with Testsusiaga enlarged, is jumping around, attacking the god tree, as well.

The god tree is using its huge branches to defend itself from their attacks.

The battle, so far, looks about even. There is some cut off branches on the ground, but both Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru are bleeding.

Kagome takes a deep breath and yells, "Stop!"

Silence . . . as everyone stops . . .

Inu-yasha looks at Kagome. One of his legs is bleeding, and there is a cut on one of his checks.

Sesshomaru looks at Kagome. One of his arms is bleeding, and one of his legs, as well.

The god tree shakes itself and then transforms into the human form of Go-Shin-Boku-kami. His arms have some minor cuts on them, but that's it.

Kagome stalks into the clearing, a fixed angry expression on her face.

"Kirara! I can feel you, too!" Kagome cries out.

Kirara walks out from around one of the tress.

"Well?" Kagome glares at Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru, and Go-Shin-Boku-kami, her hands on her hips. All three men flinch at her glare.

Inu-yasha speaks up first. "It's not your concern, bitch."

"Sit, boy."

THUMP!

She turns to Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru waves his hand to Go-Shin-Boku-kami. "He is the one that sent us on our journey. I wished to have a discussion with him."

"Discussion?!"

"Of course, He's not going to speak truthfully about it, unless I beat it out of him."

Kagome closes her eyes. 'Count to ten. Slowly.'

"I see that you have used the acorn." Go-Shin-Boku-kami purrs. "Excellent. I've got some plans."

Kagome takes a deep breath, and glares at him. "I don't want to hear them. And, right now," She raises her hand and brings her thumb and forefinger together. She separates them by a hair. "I'm this close to helping them beat the living shit out of you."

All three men's jaws, even Inu-yasha's, who, by now, has sit up, drop at her statement and the anger in her voice.

"My life is not mine to live anymore, Go-Shin-Boku-kami. Your plans, your tests have destroyed any chance that I had to live a normal life." Kagome glares at him, small flames appearing in her eyes. "Right now, I'm very upset about that."

Go-Shin-Boku-kami opens his mouth to speak, but.

"I don't want to hear it." Kagome interrupts, her hand slashing downward as she speaks in a harsh tone. "You . . . you probably did have a good, even an excellent reason, for hijacking my life. And, sometime in the future, I might actually thank you for changing my life. But, that day is not today."

"What did he do?" Inu-yasha asks, as he continues to sit down. 'She going to use the necklace again, so there's no need to stand up.'

Kagome looks at Inu-yasha. She licks her lips, 'how much do I tell him? I'm not even totally sure about some of the changes in me, myself, so.'

She says, "How many demons and how much magic did you encounter on my side of the well?"

"Huh?" Inu-yasha sputters, "not much."

"Did you like the smell of the air? Or the taste of the water? Or all those huge buildings?"

"I hated them. Especially the water, drinking that, what did your mother call it, taps water, was fucking horrible."

Kagome nods. "On my side of the well, Inu-yasha, mankind is destroying the world. Slowly, but surely."

She points to Go-Shin-Boku-kami. "He, and his counterpart on my side of the well, want me to change the world, Inu-yasha. They want me to prevent that from happening."

"How?" Inu-yasha asks, puzzled.

"There are plans." Go-Shin-Boku-kami begins to speak. Kagome's finger glows and a beam of energy slams into his chest, knocking him down.

He sits up, patting his chest, a very shocked look on his face.

Everyone looks at Kagome, surprised expressions on every face.

Kagome looks at her finger. She blinks. "I didn't know that would happen?" she says in a low shocked voice.

"The acorn has changed you." Go-Shin-Boku-kami grunts as he stands up. "As you grow and age, your powers will develop. New powers will be created and your skill using them, will grow. You need me to help you learn how to use them."

'He's right.' Kagome thinks. 'I can feel . . . things. Inside me, growing, changing.'

Kagome glares at him. "No. I won't. IF you had told me." She quickly runs to him and shoves him in his chest, causing him to back up. "When this had started, If I had a choice, I'd give you a chance now. But! You didn't!" She screams in his face.

She pushes Go-Shin-Boku-kami, again.

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru exchange glances. They both have knowing smiles on their faces, and they both share the same thought, 'at least she's not angry at me . . . '

Go-Shin-Boku-kami licks his lips as he thinks, 'hmm. Perhaps we did too good of a job with her.'

Kagome pushes him, again. She growls, "Go away, Go-Shin-Boku-kami, I have no desire to speak with, or hear from you. If you had treated me better, I would being treating you better. But, you didn't."

"You're too young." He sputters, "you'll need help in controlling your powers and there are plans that."

"No!" Kagome screams. "I'm not going to follow your plans!" She glares at him, breathing hard. "I will change the world. I will make the future better. But, you are not going to help me."

Her hands begin to glow.

Power builds.

Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha share a glance and prepare to attack the god tree, again.

Kirara grows larger and prepares for combat.

Kagome will not have to fight Go-Shin-Boku-kami alone.

"We will finish this conversation later." Go-Shin-Boku-kami says as he vanishes.

Kagome flicks her eyes at where the god tree is normally located. Nothing is there. She smiles.

"Coward." Inu-yasha remarks, as he puts Tetsusaiga down.

Kagome spins to look at Inu-yasha. She takes a deep breath and the glow surrounding her fades away. "No. He's just prefers to work in secret. He'll be back and try to change my mind, later."

"Will he?" Sesshomaru mummers.

Kagome's mouth twitches into a smile. "I'm stubborn. And my mind's made up."

Sesshomaru nods. His mouth twitches into a smile.

Inu-yasha nods, his mouth twitches into a smile

A timeless pause . . . as Kagome, Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha exchange glances.

Kagome licks her lips. She's obviously trying to gather the courage to speak.

Silence . . .

Inu-yasha silently snarls, as he is obviously trying to gather the courage to speak.

Silence . . .

Sesshomaru sighs, deeply. "Unless there is an objection, Kirara and I will go for a walk."

Silence . . .

Inu-yasha growls wordlessly, but nods

Kagome nods, as she looks at Inu-yasha.

Sesshomaru and Kirara leave.

Silence . . .

Timeless, silence . . .

The wind rifles through the trees and the grass. The birds sing in the trees.

Silence . . .

Kagome slowly walks up to Inu-yasha.

Inu-yasha stands, without moving, quivering from tension, watching her approach.

Kagome stops, as she stands facing Inu-yasha, separated by only centimeters. She looks up at him. HE looks down at her.

She, still silently, reaches out to him with her right hand.

He grabs her hand and squeezes, hard.

"Please." She whimpers, and tears begin to form in her eyes.

He doesn't let go, but, he does allow her to move her hand.

Her fingers find his necklace.

She wraps her fingers around it.

"Kagome?" Inu-yasha whispers.

"I'm going to free you, Inu-yasha." She whispers. "Unless?"

He nods, once, sharply.

Kagome slides the necklace off him.

They both look at the necklace as it dangles from her hand.

"I would like to keep it."

Inu-yasha growls, harshly.

"Not, as a threat. But, as something to remember." Kagome whispers, her voice stuttering from the tension.

Inu-yasha grabs the necklace, wrenching it from her grasp and he throws it away. "No."

Kagome breathes deeply, but she nods, accepting his action.

They look at each other, staring deeply into each other's eyes.

Silence . . .

"Why?" He moans in frustration.

Kagome sighs. "Because . . . I fell in love with him."

"Whore." He glares at her.

She glares at him. "I'm not going to get into a shouting match with you, Inu-yasha."

He growls, wordlessly.

"Sesshomaru." Another growl. "And I have fallen in love. But, I still love and I still care about you, Inu-yasha."

He breathes deeply, obviously trying to control himself.

She reaches out with her right hand, trying to touch his cheek.

He grabs her wrist, stopping her.

"I don't want to hurt you, Inu-yasha." She whispers, tears in her eyes. "I don't want to hurt him, either. What I want is for, somehow, everything to work out so we all can live happily ever after."

Inu-yasha grunts. "Your mother's dream." He spits out.

She nods. Her mouth twitches into a smile. "It's a good dream, right?"

He grunts. 'The less I say, the better I off I'll be.' He thinks.

"I don't know what Sesshomaru told you, Inu-yasha." She begins to whisper. "All I can do is tell you the truth."

"What is the truth?" he snarls that question at her.

"That, somehow, I love two males." Kagome's lips twist into a smile. "I am sorry for using that term, Inu-yasha. Would you prefer a demon and a half-demon?"

He grunts, but doesn't answer.

"Both of whom, I'm sure, would be destroyed if I hurt and reject them." Kagome pauses.

Inu-yasha doesn't move.

Kagome whispers, "Since you didn't say no, I'll assume you mean yes."

A pause . . .

Inu-yasha doesn't move.

"How can hurt someone that I love?" Kagome whispers.

"You're doing a great fucking job of it." Inu-yasha snarls, anger filling his voice.

Kagome bows her head. "I know. And, I'm sorry. I wish I knew of a better way to do this."

"Then reject him!" Inu-yasha hisses. "He's tricking you! I know him. This has to be part of some plan to get Tetsusaiga!" he pats his sword.

Kagome raises her head. "No. Inu-yasha. You're wrong." She says in a sure tone of voice. "He and I shared our souls. I traveled into his very being and helped him rebuild his very soul. I know him, in ways I don't know you."

They stare into each other eyes.

"I wish I can make you feel my love for you." Kagome whispers. "I wish I could make you understand."

Inu-yasha, instead of staring at her, or growling at her, blinks. His eyes unfocus and he shakes himself.

"Inu-yasha?" she whispers.

"Nothing." He growls.

A pause

"You said, that you want the three of us to live happily ever after." Inu-yasha slowly begins to ask.

Kagome, instantly, hugs him, tight. Inu-yasha can feel his ribs creak as she squeezes. "Thank you." She kisses his chest and begins to spread kisses up his chest and neck. "I love you." She whispers as she kisses him.

Inu-yasha pries her off him and shakes his head no. "I have not promised anything."

"Thank you for listening, Inu-yasha." Tears begin to form in her eyes as she says that. "I never expected you to listen."

Inu-yasha growls. 'That sounded bad. But how to find out exactly what she meant?' he thinks.

Kagome takes a deep breath. "How did I want us to live together?"

He nods.

Kagome smiles, "First, I did not." She emphasizes the word 'not', "expect us to live in the same rooms together."

He blinks, confused. "You don't want to fuck me and him at the same time!" blurts out of his mouth.

Kagome smiles. "No. Neither you, nor Sesshomaru would like that, Inu-yasha. I don't expect all three of us to share a futon."

'I would like to.' She thinks. 'If anything would cure them of their jealousy for each other, sharing a bed with me, would do it. But, I don't think either one would agree to it. And if they did, they'd only agree to it, in order to mess things up.' Her panties get wet at the thought of Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru in bed with her at the same time.

Inu-yasha's nostrils flare. "You're lying." He states.

Kagome sighs. "Ok. Yes, I would like it." She smiles, "between the fertility festival and the night in the geisha house in Kyoto, I find that I don't mind group sex, Inu-yasha."

'I'm not going mention, right now, everything I did with Sesshomaru.' She thinks.

He growls, loudly. He hands from into fists. 'She's been around Miroku too much.' He thinks.

"And if you're going to blame someone, don't blame Miroku. If anybody, blame me or perhaps Uzume." Kagome whispers.

"Uzume . . . the whore." Inu-yasha growls out.

"But," she says in firm tone. "You don't and Sesshomaru doesn't, really, like group sex. So, I'm not going to ask you and him into my futon at the same time."

She sighs, and in a wistful tone, whispers, "that would probably solve the jealousy problems between the two of you, but, the argument before we retire to the futon would be horrible, and destroy the mood."

She smiles, sexily, "besides, I do enjoy our private time together, Inu-yasha."

Inu-yasha bits his lips and asks, "Sesshomaru mentioned some sort of plan?" he shifts his pants, trying to get comfortable.

Kagome nods. "Yes, he and I have had a chance to talk and plan about this, Inu-yasha." She pauses, collecting her thoughts.

"First, Inu-yasha, I meant what I said, earlier. I have no plans to become Sesshomaru's wife. And he has no plans to ask me."

"Why?" blunt hard suspicion is in his voice.

"Because, I'm human, of course." Kagome replies.

She pauses and shakes her head as she thinks, 'I don't think that applies anymore, though. I'm feeling, strange. I wish I had a couple of days alone, to meditate and discover myself again. The acorn has changed me, and I'm afraid, that I'm human anymore.'

"And?" inu-yasha props.

"And, Sesshomaru's side of your family would never accept me as his wife. It would cause tremendous difficulties." She looks at Inu-yasha. She whispers. "Many of which stem from memories of your mother, Inu-yasha."

He grunts. "He told you about her?" he whispers.

She nods. "Yes, though. I think that you need to hear about it from his lips, not mine."

Inu-yasha grinds his teeth together, but doesn't say anything.

"And, I do wish to become your wife, Inu-yasha." Kagome reaches out and touches his chest. Inu-yasha lets her. "I do want to be the mother of your children."

"You mean that?" Inu-yasha blurts out.

Kagome nods. "Yes."

They look into each other's eyes.

"So." Inu-yasha hisses. "You would become my wife, and Sesshomaru's mistress, I assume."

"Pretty much." Kagome replies. "He and I have talked, and I know that with his responsibilities, he'll be gone a lot. So, you and I will have plenty of time to be together." She smiles, "At least I hope and think so."

"What about between he and I?" Inu-yasha asks. "What does he have planned?"

Kagome licks her lips. "Don't you want him to tell you?"

Inu-yasha shakes his head. "No. You tell me."

Kagome takes a deep breath. "He plans on deposing his mother and taking control of his and your family. You, as his younger brother, would become the second in command." She looks at Tetsusaiga. "As your father intended when he created those swords."

Inu-yasha looks at his sword and places his hand on its hilt. "My mother always told me that I was to be the head of the family." He whispers.

"As head of the family," Kagome begins, "you would be forced to be polite, be diplomatic. You have to sit through all those boring ceremonies. Which would you prefer, Sesshomaru being forced to go through that boring idiocy, or you?"

Inu-yasha smiles and he begins to chuckle. He starts to laugh.

Kagome smiles and laughs with him.

"I always knew he was a stupid bastard." Inu-yasha finally chokes out as he stops laughing.

"Well?" Kagome asks as she stops laughing

Inu-yasha takes a deep breath. 'Well?' he thinks. 'What do I do? The thought of anybody, but me, even touching her boils my blood. What did they talk about? What did she learn about him to cause her to be so loyal to him?'

He frowns. "What else did you talk about?" he blurts out.

"Huh?" Kagome pauses. "A lot of things, Inu-yasha. While we were in deadly combat many times, there were quiet times. And, we'd talk." She looks at Inu-yasha. "We'd talk about anything, Inu-yasha."

"Anything?"

She nods. "All the talks that I'd wish we would have had." She reaches up and touches his jaw. "He and I have had."

"My brother talking?" absolute amazement colors his voice.

"Yes. He even had nice things to say about my school and education."

"Fucking brown-nosing suck-up." Inu-yasha growls.

"Why?" Kagome asks. "Aren't you interested in what I think? About what I like? I know that I would love to know what you think. I want to know what you like."

Inu-yasha opens his mouth, but, for perhaps the first time in his life, he does not say the first thing that comes to mind.

Kagome's eyes twinkle. "Well, Inu-yasha?"

Inu-yasha thinks, 'what do I do? She wants me to say yes. But, how can I?'

Kagome thinks, 'Do I mention that I thought the arraignment among the three of us reminded me of a man and his wife and mistress. But with me playing the male part, and inu-yasha and Sesshomaru playing the female parts? No. He definitely would hate that and cause him to say no.'

Inu-yasha licks his lips. He looks around.

'Hmm.' Kagome thinks. 'Even if I don't mention it, perhaps, I should act like the man. A man would propose, so.'

Kagome kneels down before Inu-yasha. She takes his rough, scarred, clawed hand in her soft hands. She looks up at inu-yasha.

"Inu-yasha." She whispers, blinking with tears in her eyes. "I love you." A deep breath. "Will you marry me?"

Inu-yasha's eyes open wide. His jaw drops in surprise.

Kagome kneels, looking up at him, waiting for him to speak.

He opens his mouth . . .

End chapter 18

Yes, Another evil cliffhanger.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


	20. Inuyasha's answer

Kagome's Return chapter 19

Inu-yasha's answer . . .

Kagome's eyes twinkle. "Well, Inu-yasha?"

Inu-yasha thinks, 'what do I do? She wants me to say yes. But, how can I?'

Kagome thinks, 'Do I mention that I thought the arraignment among the three of us reminded me of a man and his wife and mistress. But with me playing the male part, and inu-yasha and Sesshomaru playing the female parts? No. He definitely would hate that and cause him to say no.'

Inu-yasha licks his lips. He looks around.

'Hmm.' Kagome thinks. 'Even if I don't mention it, perhaps, I should act like the man. A man would propose, so.'

Kagome kneels down before Inu-yasha. She takes his rough, scarred, clawed hand in her soft hands. She looks up at inu-yasha.

"Inu-yasha." She whispers, blinking with tears in her eyes. "I love you." A deep breath. "Will you marry me?"

Inu-yasha's eyes open wide. His jaw drops in surprise. 'I'm supposed to say that!' he thinks. 'And she's cheating, we were supposed to talk about this, first! The last time we really talked about this, I told her that to protect her, that meant that I couldn't marry her, or even be nice to her. But. Now, I can feel the power radiating from her. I feel, sure, that she can handle the danger, and she knows it. So, if I make that same argument again, she will not listen to it. She only, very reluctantly, agreed that I was right after the spring fertility festival.'

Kagome, still kneeling, looking up at him, waiting for him to speak.

He opens his mouth. He closes it. He thinks.'What do I say? If I say yes, then I agree to share her with Sesshomaru. And that thought makes me sick. So . . . I've got to say, no.'

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome whispers, her voice full of tears.

He licks his lips, 'but . . . if I say, no, then Sesshomaru will have her. And I can't stand that.'

Kagome slowly bows her head. Tears begin to drip to the ground. 'He's going to say, no. what do I do if he says no?' she thinks . . .

'If I say, no. I lose her.' Inu-yasha thinks, as his nostrils flare as he smells her sadness. 'If I say yes, I'll still be with her, I don't lose her. I can convince her that Sesshomaru is not good for her. I can win her, but, only if I say, yes. IS she worth the temporary, very temporary, sharing with Sesshomaru?'

"Yes." Inu-yasha hisses.

Kagome's head snaps up, "Yes?!" she squeals. Her muscles tense as she gathers herself.

"Yes, I'll marry you." Inu-yasha states.

Kagome jumps up, and hugs him tightly. She begins to shower his face with kisses.

Inu-yasha hugs her back, but not tightly, and he doesn't really respond to her kisses.

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome questions as she stops kissing him and pulls back a few centimeters.

"I don't like this." Inu-yasha growls. "And, I'm going to tell you, right now, that I'm going to hate every time that you're with him."

Kagome nods, she releases him and wipes her eyes. "I know, Inu-yasha." She sighs. "My mother wants me live happily ever after. I'd like to do that, as well. But, between you and him." She reaches up and runs her fingers along his jawline. "All I can hope for is that good days will cause the bad days to go away."

"You know that'll be arguments?" Inu-yasha asks in a surprised tone.

Kagome nods. "Between the two you, of course." She giggles. "You used to yell and scream whenever I had to go to school. I'd expect you to yell and scream whenever Sesshomaru is around."

"You're damn right, I'm going to yell and scream." He growls.

Kagome nods. "I do have some plans." Her eyes open wide, as she whispers, "can I share them with you?"

"No promises." He hisses.

"Ok. I understand." She whispers. "The next few days, Inu-yasha, are going to be busy. Sango's brother is still asleep, and we don't know what will happen when he awakens. I want to be there for Sango."

Inu-yasha grimaces, but nods. 'Sango and Kagome should have been born sisters.' He thinks.

"My grandfather did die." Kagome's voice catches. "My mother will need my help. She's going to have to report the death," she sighs, "Deal with the police, maybe. And the funeral. I have to be there for that."

He, still grimacing, nods.

Kagome reaches out and touches his arm. "I would like you to be there, if possible."

"He never liked me."

"So." Kagome shrugs. "That's what he wanted you to think. HE was always asking Sota about you." Her lips twitch, "My grandfather loved the past and you were a living link to it."

"He had a funny way to show it."

Kagome's eyes twinkle, "Would you have trusted him, if he had accepted you as part of his family, instantly?"

"No." Inu-yasha takes a deep breath and lets it out. "He never really tried to stop you and me, did he?" He asks himself. He nods. "I'll be there."

"And, I really need to explain to my mother, in detail, about what happened between Sesshomaru and I." A deep, angry growl from Inu-yasha. Kagome's lips twitch into a smile. "I'd really like to try to get a couple of nights sleep in my bed, too."

"Alone?" He barks, "Or with him?"

"Alone or with you." Kagome replies, her tone full of iron.

Inu-yasha blinks. "You mean that?"

"Yes. I'm not finished, yet, but, once I do, you'll understand."

"Go on."

"Sesshomaru and I had to," Kagome pauses, as she thinks about how to explain the adventure in New York, and Tokyo Airport. "We had to use our powers, in public, so, there probably will be problems on my side of the well."

"Fuck. You bug me. You yell at me! All the fucking time, about not showing myself, and then you and him!" Inu-yasha starts to yell.

"I know!" Kagome screams, trying to cut him off. "I know! I tried not too, but, we had to use them!"

Kagome and Inu-yasha glare at each other, breathing deeply.

"But, Inu-yasha," Kagome, shakes her head, trying not to cause their fight to grow worse, begin to speak. "In a few days, perhaps four or five, I hope, then things will be calm enough." She pauses.

"Calm enough for what?"

"Calm enough that you and I can vanish for a month or more. Alone, just the two of us."

Inu-yasha blinks.

Kagome reaches out and touches his cheek. "To make this, and I will admit it, weird relationship between the three of us to work, I must treat the two of you, fairly. He and I had time alone."

He growls, loudly.

She moves close to Inu-yasha, breathing lightly on his chest. "I want us to have time, alone, so we can grow closer together, my love."

"Sesshomaru?" Inu-yasha whispers.

"He'll accept it."

"I'll believe that when I see it." Inu-yasha sneers.

"He will." Kagome grins. "I know that he wants to depose his mother. But, he'll want to scout things and plan. So he will delay the attack on her, until we return."

Inu-yasha's eyes narrow. "I thought that if there was anyone he loved it was his mother."

Kagome shakes her head. "No. He and his mother have never really gotten along."

Inu-yasha purses his lips and frowns as he thinks, 'I don't have a lot of memories of Sesshomaru and his mother. But. Maybe. She could be correct.'

He looks at her. "Alone? Just the two of us?"

She nods. "There are some lovely, if deserted, mountain valleys that we've pasted through, during our travels. I thought that we could find a cave and spend a month, maybe more there."

"Doing what?"

Kagome shrugs, but a secretive smile appears on her lips. "Talk. Even though I know that you hate it. And other things."

"Other things?"

"Miroku-type things."

A pause . . .

"You mean this." He demands. "No going home. No schooling. No, nothing. Just you and me."

Kagome nods.

His eyes narrow. "And then what?"

"And then, we return home. By that time, Sesshomaru will want to attack his mother." Her hand grabs his wrist. "He'll want your help, and mine." She licks her lips. "I hope that helping him, will cause the two of you to trust each other. And, I've already promised him my support."

"Ah." Inu-yasha grumbles. "Then?"

Kagome takes a deep breath. "Then," Kagome slumps. "I'm not sure, Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru will be busy as lord of the western lands. I know that he wants you to help him."

"Hah."

"And," an unfocused look appears on Kagome's face. "I've got a task that I've got to do."

Inu-yasha frowns. "Is that what you were talking about with that bastard of a god tree?" he snarls.

Kagome nods. "Somehow, I've got to change the world. On my side of the well, mankind is slowly destroying the world. We are burning the forests, mining the earth, polluting the air and the sea."

"Why you?"

A pause, as Kagome gathers her thoughts. She sighs. "You're going to hate me for stopping your fight with the god tree."

"I already do." He snarls.

"Even more so." Kagome sighs, again. "The god tree used you, Kikyo and jewel."

Inu-yasha tenses. He begins to grind his teeth together.

"The god tree on my side of the well, knowing that mankind is destroying the world, contacted the god tree on this side of the well. They came up with a plan to use you, Kikyo and the jewel." She pauses.

Inu-yasha's eyes narrow in anger. "Go on. You've just repeated yourself."

"They grabbed Kikyo's soul and placed it in mine. And, then," Kagome sighs, "and, then, I fell through the well, which started their plan."

"Their plan." Inu-yasha hisses through clenched teeth.

"To use you, me, and our friends and enemies to shape mine, yours, our future. They wanted to create someone that would be powerful enough to change the world."

"You."

Kagome nods. "They treated our fights like a forge. They put us under pressure and if we won, we grew stronger. Even the journey with Sesshomaru was part of their plan."

Inu-yasha, biting off each word in anger, snarls, "Then, bitch, why did you stop me from killing that bastard."

Kagome glares back at him. "Because if anyone kills him, it will be me." She taps his chest, hard. "They may have interfered with your life, Inu-yasha. But, from everything that I've learned, my life has never been mine to live. Everything that I've done has been according to their, goddamned, plan!"

Inu-yasha, shocked out of his anger, stares at Kagome, open mouthed.

"You're alive, and, if you really want, you can leave me and try to find your own life. But, me!" Kagome yells, "When I went home, I felt horrible, Inu-yasha! Somehow, that acorn, has anchored me onto this side of the well. I can't live on that side of the well anymore!"

"Are you sure?" Inu-yasha whispers.

Kagome slumps, her anger gone as suddenly as it appeared, "I think so. It makes sense compared to some of the things that I've been told."

"You hated being on this side of the well." He whispers.

Kagome reaches out and touches his jaw. "No. I loved being on this side of the well. I hated being away from my family." Her mouth twitches into a smile. "And I really disliked being away from modern conveniences." Tears form in her eyes. "But, I think that I've found a new family."

"Me or Sesshomaru?" He snarls.

"Neither. Both of you. And Shippo, plus Miroku and Sango." Kagome's mouth twitches, "and, now that I know how to get them through the well, I'll bring mom and Sota through."

"Shippo? Sango? And the Monk?" Inu-yasha asks.

Kagome blinks. "Didn't I tell you?"

She thinks, 'have I told him about them? We've been so busy. I don't remember.'

"Tell me what?" He asks.

"I decided to adopt Shippo." Kagome says. "And, my mother shocked everyone by adopting Sango and Miroku."

"Fuck . . . " Inu-yasha says very slowly . . .

"And Miroku finally proposed to Sango." Kagome smiles.

Inu-yasha shakes his head. "Everything is being turned upside down."

Kagome nods. "Yes." She smiles. "If it helps, Inu-yasha, I'd really like to just spend a couple of days doing nothing, just to rest up from the last couple of days, if not hours. The last few days have been very complex and tiring. And, we're not going to get a break for another few days."

Inu-yasha snorts. "Yeah. Not that time stands still."

"I know."

A pause as Kagome and Inu-yasha look at each other's eyes.

"Shippo, hmm?" Inu-yasha mumbles. "You adopted him."

Kagome nods. "During the trip with Sesshomaru, when I was explaining how I felt about Shippo, I decided then, that I would adopt him."

Inu-yasha's eyes narrow. 'Do I like it? No. He is a jealous little kid, always wanting to be with her.'

"What about during that month alone."

"He will not be with us."

"Have you told him that?"

Kagome slumps. "Not yet." Her lips twist into a smile. "He will not like it. I'm sure. But, we need that personal time."

"No matter how much he whines?"

Kagome nods. "No matter what."

'Miroku and Sango. Well, that's not so bad. They needed to get married.' Inu-yasha thinks. 'And, now that he'll be getting some pillow time with her, that should stop him from grabbing Kagome.' He frowns. 'No. I'd better not assume that. Knowing Miroku, he'll assume that since he's getting pillow time from Sango, he deserves some pillow time with Kagome.'

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome asks, as she sees his frown.

"Miroku."

"What about him?"

"You know him, once he hears about this, this thing that you and Sesshomaru have thought up, he'll want to join in." Inu-yasha spits out.

Kagome nods. "Yes, I'm expecting that."

"And?"

"And, while refusing him, will disappoint him. Doing it with him, would hurt you and Sesshomaru more, so, no. He'll be disappointed." Kagome says firmly.

Inu-yasha glares into her eyes. "He better be."

A pause as they look into each other's eyes again.

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome whispers.

"Yes?"

She blinks. Her eyes begin to tear up. "You haven't said that you love me."

Inu-yasha frowns, as he thinks. 'I haven't, have I. No. I don't remember saying that.'

"This isn't going to work," Kagome's voice catches from the emotion in it. "Unless we all love other." She pauses. "If."

She pauses, again, licking her lips. She looks at the ground. "IF." She repeats, "if you don't love me and you are only saying that you'll marry me out of some perverse desire to hurt me and Sesshomaru, then please tell me. Don't lie to me. Please."

A pause . . .

"Inu-yasha?" She whispers again, her throat choking from suppressed emotions.

His clawed hand reaches out and grabs her chin, lifting her head.

Kagome's tear-filled eyes, blinks, as she tries to look into his eyes.

"Kagome." He whispers. He leans close to her.

Inu-yasha opens his mouth . . .

End of the chapter . . .

Evil cliffhanger . . .

Authors' note: sigh. Ok, ok. This is for all the reviewers that have mentioned my evil cliffhangers.

Prevue chapter 20

Inu-yasha opens his mouth and whispers. "I love you."

He kisses her.

Kagome melts into his arms as he hugs her, tightly.

Now, the real end of the chapter.

Authors' note: as Kagome indicates in the story, I am beginning to wrap up the story. There are some scenes I want to do, but, basically, once Inu-yasha said 'yes', I've created the triangle that I've been working toward. (It, as hinted in the story, won't be a totally happy relationship between the three, but, the happy days will outway and outnumber the bad.)

IF there are scenes, questions, things that you, the reader, need to be explained better, please tell me. Or, if there are scenes that you, the readers, think need to be seen/written, please tell me. There are still a few more chapters before the story ends. (I'll be cleaning up some of the loose ends. Inu & sess 'talking' about the relationship. Shippo and his reaction. Miroku and Sango's reaction. I might even do a Miroku, Sango, Shippo site-seeing the future chapter. A scene with the god tree. And a final scene with the group, as I set up my next storyline: Kagome: goddess of Japan.)

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


	21. kagome and Inuyasha part 2

Kagome's return ch 20

Kagome and Inu-yasha part 2

A pause as they look into each other's eyes again.

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome whispers.

"Yes?"

She blinks. Her eyes begin to tear up. "You haven't said that you love me."

Inu-yasha frowns, as he thinks. 'I haven't, have I. No. I don't remember saying that.'

"This isn't going to work," Kagome's voice catches from the emotion in it. "Unless we all love other." She pauses. "If."

She pauses, again, licking her lips. She looks at the ground. "IF." She repeats, "if you don't love me and you are only saying that you'll marry me out of some perverse desire to hurt me and Sesshomaru, then please tell me. Don't lie to me. Please."

'Do I love her?' Inu-yasha thinks. 'What is love? I've always wanted her body, but that's lust, not love. So, what is love? I don't know. I'm not a poet. And, while Miroku is, I don't trust his love poetry.' He frowns, as he continues his internal debate. 'If I do love her, then, I will want to be with her, through anything.'

A pause . . .

"Inu-yasha?" She whispers again, her throat choking from suppressed emotions.

His clawed hand reaches out and grabs her chin, lifting her head. He thinks, 'Anything means, even sharing her with my brother. If I don't love her. Then, I can live without her. But.' A pause. 'But, without her, my life would become what it was before I meet Kikyo. I would become the thief, bandit, and murderer that I was before . . . '

Kagome's tear-filled eyes, blinks, as she tries to look into his eyes.

"Kagome." He whispers. He leans close to her.

Inu-yasha opens his mouth and whispers. "I love you."

He kisses her.

Kagome melts into his arms as he hugs her, tightly.

"I love you." She whispers as they break the kiss. She begins to pepper his face with kisses as she rubs herself against him.

He grabs her and kisses her face as well. Their lips brush against each's other face, trying to memorize the other's face.

His hands reach down and grab her ass and he begins to grind it against his groin.

Kagome feels his maleness grow and expand as she grinds herself against him.

Inu-yasha, suddenly, pushes Kagome away from him.

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome asks, a very disappointed look on her face.

"How much of what I'm feeling is real?" He asks.

"I don't understand?"

"Earlier, when you said that you wished me to feel your love. I felt it."

"You did?" amazement colors Kagome's voice. 

He nods. "Yes. I felt your emotions, Kagome."

Kagome blinks. "And your wondering if you're feeling them again?" her eyes flick to his groin. "And you're wondering if that is my lust?" 

He nods. "Am I?"

"I don't know." Kagome says in a low voice. "That must be one of those new powers the god tree was talking about." Her voice trails off. "Ok. Tell me if you feel anything."

She turns around and places her hands at her temples as she thinks.

A pause.

"Anything?" she asks.

"Nope."

A pause.

Inu-yasha growls, instinctively, he reaches out and grabs her, wrapping her in his arms, as his head scans the area. 'I can feel her fear.' He thinks.

"What was that?" he whispers into her ear, as she relaxes into his arms.

"That was I thinking about someone I met during my travels with Sesshomaru."

"Who?" he asks, instantly. 'Who could have caused that much fear?'

"We went to a world, Inu-yasha, where I was evil. Where you were evil." Inu-yasha stiffens. Kagome continues, "I was thinking about how afraid I was that I could become evil."

"Never." He hisses.

"I'll pray, every day, that it never happens, Inu-yasha, since I don't want that to happen. Right now, I'll pledge to do everything that I can to make today, better than yesterday."

"For who?"

"For everyone that I know."

"you know that there will be days, that you can't make something

better."  
  
"I know, but, I'll going to try."

A pause, as inu-yasha still holds Kagome.

Kagome sighs. "And you felt that fear."

Inu-yasha nods.

"I must be able to broadcast my emotions, then." Kagome shakes her head. "But, I don't know how it works. I was thinking about my feelings about Naraku, the first time, but you didn't feel that. But, you felt my fear for myself." She says in a low voice, obviously talking to herself, more than inu-yasha.

She wiggles her way free of his grasp and turns around facing him. "And, can I feel your emotions?" She asks.

He shrugs.

"Try to think about an emotion, Inu-yasha. I want to see if I can tell what emotion you're feeling, please."

He nods.

A pause.

'I'll think about my feelings about Sesshomaru's stupid plan.' He thinks.

Kagome frowns. "I'm feeling something. Jealousy, possessiveness . . . but, I also feel animal lust and something else . . . Love?" she whispers. "What are you thinking about?"

Inu-yasha snarls. "Nothing."

"Then try again, Inu-yasha." Kagome asks. A pause, then she says, "perhaps, this might help."

"What?"

"I'll describe something that happened while I was with Sesshomaru and see if I can feel your emotions."

He grunts, pauses, then nods.

"We visited a world, inu-yasha," Kagome pauses, as she considers which world to choose from. "A world in which magic didn't exist, or if it did, it was so small that Sesshomaru, your brother, almost died."

Inu-yasha's eyebrows twitch upward.

Kagome frowns, as she thinks, 'I am feeling something, but I'll finish my story first. I don't think that he'll tell me about his feelings. At least not yet, Like Sesshomaru, we'll have to be alone, for a week or more, before he really starts to open up.'

She continues to speak with, "we were attacked. I had no magic, and he had no magic."

Inu-yasha breath deepens. "He almost sacrificed his life, so I could escape."

Inu-yasha's teeth grind, together.

Kagome slowly nods, but continues, "some of the humans that attacked us, chased after me." She pauses, then meets Inu-yasha's eyes as she continues. "In order to kill them, so I could escape, I had to pretend to be a slut. I bit one of their penises off, and then, stealing a knife, sliced the other's throat."

"Did you?" Inu-yasha hisses.

"There was only one way to make sure that I would have surprise on my side, Inu-yasha." Kagome says in a dead voice.

His hands close into fists. Blood begins to drip from them.

"I stole their clothes and their weapons. Using them, I rescued Sesshomaru."

Inu-yasha takes a relieving deep breath. "You rescued him?" he says in a shocked tone.

"As I rescued him, he was being raped." She says in a dead voice.

Inu-yasha's jaws grind together.

Kagome's lips form a whisper of a smile. "I enjoyed watching him rip the heart out of the bastard that was raping him. That was a far kinder death than that diseased animal that looked like a human deserved."

Inu-yasha's eyes widen at that statement.

Kagome reaches out and touches inu-yasha's bleeding fist. "Now, do you understand the bond that has developed between Sesshomaru and I?"

They look into each other's eyes.

He, slowly, very reluctantly, nods.

Kagome sighs, "And, I could feel your emotions, as well." She whispers.

She thinks, 'If I can feel people's emotions, that should help me with Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha. Since I'll be able to feel their emotions, I hope I can control their fights better. So, hopefully the arguments that might turn into hate filled fights, I can stop, before they get that bad.'

Her fists form and she slams it against her thigh. "What else will happen to me?" she whispers.

"Kagome?" Inu-yasha whispers as he gently grabs her shoulders.

Kagome melts into his hug. "Just hold me, please." She whispers.

They stand there, Kagome buried in his arms.

A timeless pause . . .

"I could stay here forever." She whispers.

"I would hold you forever." He whispers.

"I know."

Another pause . . .

"Do you we need to talk about anything else, or should we find Sesshomaru?" Kagome asks.

"What about that bastard of a god tree on your side of the well." Inu-yasha growls in anger.

Kagome takes a step back from him. 'Ouch!' she thinks. 'I felt his anger, sooo strongly. This ability to feel emotions, might be harder than I thought.'

Inu-yasha's eyes narrow. "Did that hurt you? I felt something from you?"

"Yes. This ability to feel emotions and broadcast them, might be more troublesome than I thought." Kagome replies in a distracted tone. "There. I think I've turned it off." She shakes her head. "But, I don't know."

Inu-yasha grunts. "So, what about the bastard."

Kagome looks at him. She pauses. "Inu-yasha, I would greatly prefer if you, and Sesshomaru, or anybody, for that matter, do not attack him."

"Why?"

Kagome takes a deep breath. "There's a couple of reasons, Inu-yasha. But, the most important one."

She gazes into his eyes, as she whispers, "he's my father."

Inu-yasha takes a deep breath. "You're sure?"

She nods.

Inu-yasha's lungs pump air in and out, as he takes a couple of deep breaths. "Shit. There went that dream of ripping his balls off." He mumbles under his breath.

Kagome's lips twist into a smile. "I didn't say that I love him, Inu-yasha."

His eyes light up. "You mean I can?"

"I don't know, but threatening him with that, might be useful."

Inu-yasha eyes narrow. "That trip with Sesshomaru." He pauses.

"Yes?" she asks, in genuine curiosity.

"It hardened you. You would not have made that comment before."

Kagome pauses. Her eyes unfocus as she thinks. She slowly nods, and says in a low pained tone. "You are right, Inu-yasha. I had to do things. I saw things." She sighs, heavily.

She looks at him. "Are you upset about it?"

He growls, "Aren't you feeling my emotions?"

She shakes her head, no. "No. I'm not. Until I can learn to control it, I'm not going to use that power much."

He grunts, accepting that reply.

"Are you upset about the changes in me?" Kagome whispers.

Inu-yasha sighs. "I don't know. I was used to you, before. Now?"

"Another reason to spend a lot of time together." Kagome says in a very determined voice.

Inu-yasha nods.

"Anything else?" Kagome whispers. "That we need to talk about before we go find Sesshomaru and Kirara."

'There are more things that we need to talk about.' Inu-yasha thinks. 'But, since we're going to be alone, together, later, we can talk about them then.'

"You're worried about Sango?" he asks.

She nods. "It's her brother more than her." She replies. "Nobody knows what is happening to his mind."

Inu-yasha grunts. "Let's find them."

Later, near the well.

Sesshomaru, Kirara, Inu-yasha and Kagome are standing at the well.

"Inu-yasha, you can take Kirara." Kagome orders, "I'll hold Sesshomaru's hand."

"No." Inu-yasha growls. "I'll take him."

Sesshomaru's eyebrow raises, but he doesn't say a thing.

'He doesn't want me to even touch Sesshomaru.' Kagome thinks.

"IF the three of us are supposed to get along, I'd better get used to him." Inu-yasha growls.

Kagome, pauses, then nods. "Ok. Kirara?" she holds out her arms for Kirara to jump into. Kirara jumps into Kagome's arms.

Kagome thinks. 'If I say that we go together, they could think that I don't trust them. And, while, I don't trust them all that much, if I act like that, then, whatever hope that there is about the three of us goes down the drain, right now. So, I've got to trust them . . . '

"I'll meet you on the other side." Kagome says, with a smile to both men as she and Kirara vanish into the well.

"She trusts us to follow her." Sesshomaru says.

Inu-yasha grunts.

"And if we don't follow, quickly, she'll get upset." He continues.

"I, fucking, know that." Inu-yasha growls.

Sesshomaru holds out his hand, palm up. He has already cut it, so blood is oozing from it.

Inu-yasha's lips curl into a silent snarl. But, he cuts his hand and grabs his brothers.

Both men squeeze their brother's hand . . . hard, as they stare into each other's eyes.

Muscles strain and bugle on both arms.

The blood that is oozing between their palm stands out against the whiteness of their hands, as they've squeezed the blood out of each other.

Neither moves as they continue to stare into each other's eyes.

Tendons' pop out of their wrists from the strain.

Both brothers are taking long, hard deep breaths as they continue their staring contest.

POP

CRACKLE

Bones in each hand begin to break from the pressure.

Both brothers flick their eyes at the well, and, in an instant, both jump into the well.

On the other side of the well . . .

Kagome is staring down the well, waiting for Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru to arrive.

'If I have to chase after them.' She thinks, 'I'll make sure that I have that dog whistle. After I blow that a couple of times, Inu-yasha will wish he still had his necklace.'

Both brothers appear at the bottom of the well.

They release each other's hand.

"You've got a good grip."

"You, also, have a firm grip."

Both, as they jump out of the well and follow Kagome, hold their hand behind them and will their healing powers to repair their hands . . .

"Kagome." Inu-yasha says in a low voice, as they leave the well house.

"Yes, Inu-yasha?" She pauses, and turns to him.

"I think, that me and Sesshomaru need to talk about, ah, things." Inu-yasha says, "Especially before you make any announcement or such."

'I'm going to make that announcement.' He thinks, 'not her. There is no way that Miroku is going to hear about this before I get the chance to beat his perversions out of him.'

Kagome out her mouth. 'But, I've already told them.' She thinks.

But, before she can say that, Sesshomaru says. "Go ahead, Lady Kagome. I would like to speak with Inu-yasha."

Kagome sighs, but nods. She turns around and walks into the house.

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru turn and stare at each other.

A pause . . .

"You know this place better than I do." Sesshomaru states. "Where, around here, can we have some privacy?"

Inu-yasha turns and points. "There's a park in that direction. It should work."

They leave . . .

Inside the house.

Kagome closes the front door behind her. She lets Kirara go. Kirara begins to explore the house.

Kagome's mother, her three friends, Rin, Shippo, Sota and Miroku are in the living room.

Yuka ran home and brought over her Aliens and Lord of the Rings movies, so everyone could see what Kagome was talking about. Sota has brought out his dinosaur books and figures, for the same reason.

Sango is upstairs with her brother.

A pause.

"Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru?" Mrs. H asks, once it is obvious that they are not with Kagome.

"They." Kagome pauses, gathering her thoughts, "they are on this side of the well, mother. They just wanted to talk, in private, for a few minutes."

"But, they agreed, right?" Eri asks.

A smile begins to appear on Kagome's face. It rapidly blooms into a full fledged, glowing smile. "Yes. He said yes."

Mrs. h rapidly crosses the room and hugs Kagome, tightly. "Everything is Ok?" she whispers as she releases her daughter.

"Inu-yasha is talking, not fighting." Kagome whispers back. "As long as that happens, everything is ok."

"Great!" Shippo moans, as he sits on the floor, next to a couple of dinosaur figures. "Now I have to nice to both idiots."

Kagome quickly walks over and picks him up. "And, they'll have to be nice to you, as well, Shippo."

"Ha! Neither one of them can even spell the word, 'nice', much less knows what it means!"

"Then we'll have to teach them." Kagome says.

"Hah!"

"I will help you, sister." Miroku says as he sits in the chair.

Kagome looks at him. "Thank you." She nods.

"Kohaku is awake!" Sango cries from Kagome's room.

Kagome, Miroku and the rest rush up the stairs. 'We'll have to finish that conversation later.' Kagome thinks. 'Shippo's not going to like the idea of inu-yasha and I leaving for a month, but, I've got to tell him.'

'I'm going to hate this.' Shippo thinks. 'Kagome will be spending

time with Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru, not with me. I'm going to have to change that.'

He frowns. 'But, if I start to interfere between Kagome, Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru, she'll dislike that. Does that matter? Of course it does. I don't want her mad at me. But, if I don't . . . she won't pay attention to me.'

He pauses his internal debate. 'I'm going to have to think about this. I can't stand the thought of Kagome not paying attention to me. But, if I interfere, she'll hate me.'

Kagome enters her room. "Is everything ok?" she asks.

(Evil author strikes . . . )

outside, at the park, hidden in a clump of trees is a small clearing in the center of that clearing . . .

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru are staring at each other.

"Exactly," Inu-yasha begins, "Are we going to share her?" He grinds his teeth, as he finishes, obviously angry.

"A very good question, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru smiles, but that smile, only touches his lips, not his hard eyes, as he prepares for battle.

Inu-yasha fingers the hilt of his sword. "Let's talk, then."

"Talk?" Sesshomaru says, as he looks at the hilt. "Shall we talk, or have a conversation, like we had with the god tree?"

End of the chapter . . .

Authors' note: I am a sports fan, and I do enjoy watching the Olympics, so, doing that will take up some of my free time. I'm still going to post on my normal schedule, but the size of each chapter, could be and probably will be smaller than normal.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


	22. chapter 21

Kagome's return ch 21

"Kohaku is awake!" Sango cries from Kagome's room.

Kagome, Miroku and the rest rush up the stairs. 'We'll have to finish that conversation later.' Kagome thinks. 'Shippo's not going to like the idea of inu-yasha and I leaving for a month, but, I've got to tell him.'

'I'm going to hate this.' Shippo thinks. 'Kagome will be spending

time with Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru, not with me. I'm going to have to change that.'

He frowns. 'But, if I start to interfere between Kagome, Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru, she'll dislike that. Does that matter? Of course it does. I don't want her mad at me. But, if I don't . . . she won't pay attention to me.'

He pauses his internal debate. 'I'm going to have to think about this. I can't stand the thought of Kagome not paying attention to me. But, if I interfere, she'll hate me.'

Kagome enters her room. "Is everything ok?" she asks.

(Evil author strikes . . . )

outside, at the park, hidden in a clump of trees is a small clearing in the center of that clearing . . .

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru are staring at each other.

"Exactly," Inu-yasha begins, "How are we going to share her?" He grinds his teeth, as he finishes, obviously angry.

"A very good question, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru smiles, but that smile, only touches his lips, not his hard eyes, as he prepares for battle.

Inu-yasha fingers the hilt of his sword. "Let's talk, then."

"Talk?" Sesshomaru says, as he looks at the hilt. "Shall we talk, or have a conversation, like we had with the god tree?"

Inu-yasha kicks the ground, throwing up a huge divot of dirt. "Talk. As much as I would love to rip your face off, we've got to talk."

"Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru says, as he looks up and down Inu-yasha's body. "I am surprised and shocked."

Inu-yasha narrows his eyes.

"You actually are thinking, not fighting." Sesshomaru sighs, "I suppose I can do the same."

"Well?" Inu-yasha growls out.

Sesshomaru reaches down and picks up a fallen tree branch, he, as he talks, rips the branch into little pieces. (Something to occupy his hands, instead of fighting . . . )

"First." Sesshomaru growls, staring at Inu-yasha. "I have no intention of sharing a futon with you."

Inu-yasha nods. "The same. I told Kagome that."

"And?"

"And she said the same thing that she's not going to try to put all three of us into the same futon."

Sesshomaru nods. "She is wise."

"Wise? She should have listened to me, not you." Inu-yasha growls.

Sesshomaru closes his eyes and counts to ten. "Little brother, if we are to work together, those types of statements do not help."

A pause . . .

"They make me feel better." Inu-yasha says defiantly.

Sighs . . . "could you, at least, not say them in my presence?"

"Are you going to stop insulting me, as well?"

"This will require both of us to change."

"That's the first thing that you've said that I agree with." Inu-yasha spits out.

"Good." Sesshomaru nods. "At least we agree on that. We will have to change."

A pause . . .

"You do know that she told me that she and I will leave, together, the two of us, for a month or more." Inu-yasha says in a sly tone of voice.

"No." Sesshomaru grinds his teeth. "I did not. But. I understand why she wants to do that."

A pause.

Inu-yasha's eyebrows rise in surprise as he says, "And you're not going to object?"

Sesshomaru shakes his head, no. "She's right. She needs to spend some time, alone, with you."

"Aren't you afraid?" Inu-yasha smiles, his fangs showing, "between Kikyo and the jewel, I never really tried to court her and she fell in love with me, anyhow. Now, I'll have a month, alone, to do that."

Sesshomaru, without a pause, replies, "Am I afraid? No. You'll succeed in making her feelings for you to become even more personal." He pauses. "But, the bond between she and I will survive."

Inu-yasha's eyes narrow as he thinks, 'He's not afraid? Is he trying to bluff?'

'If I show anything, but absolute confidence in Kagome, he'll know and use it.' Sesshomaru thinks.

'Shit. I'll try something else, then.' Inu-yasha thinks.

"She also mentioned something about your mother?"

Sesshomaru, slowly, nods. "Did she say much?"

"No." Inu-yasha barks out. "She said that you would."

"Excellent." A pause, as Sesshomaru orders his thoughts. "My mother and I have never gotten along."

"You could have fooled me."

"Consider your memories, Inu-yasha, all of them are from when you were a child. How many of them can you really trust? In public, the two of us, had to be polite. For the family. In private." Sesshomaru pauses.

He lifts his hand and stares at it. Acid oozes from his fingertips. "I shall enjoy killing her." The tone in his voice causes, even a hardened warrior like Inu-yasha, to shudder. "The taste of her blood on my fangs . . . " he hisses.

"What are you planning?" inu-yasha asks.

"I will kill her and become the head of my family." Sesshomaru declares. HE looks at Inu-yasha. "It would be helpful, and I desire that assistance, if I had your help and Kagome's help in doing that."

"She mentioned that she already promised you."

Sesshomaru nods. "She has. I, also, wish your assistance. With it, the battle will go smoother, with a lessor chance that my mother will escape."

"And I should help you, because?"

Sesshomaru pauses . . .

"Several reasons." He looks at Inu-yasha. "The most important is that I am asking, my brother to help me."

Inu-yasha growls, deep in his chest, "You've never helped me."

"My mother wanted you dead. I saved you, at the cost of throwing my life away."

"You're joking!" Inu-yasha spits out. "You're the lord of the western lands!"

"A title, without the power. My mother makes all the decisions. All I do is apply my seal to them." Sesshomaru holds up his hand, "and before you answer, think of an example that contradicts that statement."

Inu-yasha opens and closes his mouth as he thinks.

Sesshomaru thinks, 'I'm not going to detail what happened to his mother, not now. Kagome needs to be here, to help calm him down. And, having inu-yasha and Kagome spend a month or longer together should help that. Right now, even if she was here, I'd still not tell him much.'

He looks around, frowning slightly. 'Inu-yasha is still too upset about everything else to really listen. After a month with Kagome, he'll be calm enough to listen and understand what happened. I'll have to talk to Kagome and request that she not tell him about his mother, until we can get together.'

Inu-yasha slumps, "I suppose that you're right. I can't think of anything." He frowns and looks around. "So, until, Kagome and I return from our time together, we're finished talking?" he asks Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru, pauses, then nods. "I suppose so."

A pause.

"You and Kagome did use your powers earlier, right?"

"Correct. In something that she called an airport. Horrible place. I had to fly us out of there."

"Kagome hates killing. You know that right?" Inu-yasha asks.

"Of course, she has made that very plain." Sesshomaru sighs. "So, I suppose we can only hurt the humans that are trying to sneak up on us, correct?"

"How badly can we hurt them?" Inu-yasha asks.

"You are asking me?"

"You've been around her more, lately, and she has changed during your trip."

"hmmmm" Sesshomaru pauses. "I suppose some warning is in order. So, simple fractures, cuts, bruises, nothing life threatening, but I think those spies should spend a few months on their backs." He pauses. "Or perhaps their stomachs. I think I'll whip the buttocks off one of them."

Inu-yasha smiles, his fangs showing as he cracks his knuckles. "Good. I need to work off some anger."

Back at the house . . .

Chika closes Kagome's door behind her. Everyone, Kagome, Mrs. H, Miroku and the rest are still in the hallway. "She and Kohaku are talking. And I don't want everyone to barge in. That might upset him."

"Ok." Kagome says, and everyone agrees.

Mrs. H walks up to the door and calls through it, "We'll be downstairs when you need us, Sango and Kohaku."

"Thank you." Sango calls through the door.

Everyone slowly walks down the stairs and settles back into place.

"Shall we pick up where we left off?" Mrs. h says after a short pause.

Kagome shakes her head. "I do have announcement that I do need to make."

"What, my dear?" her mother replies. Everyone looks at Kagome.

Kagome holds her arms out, pointing at Shippo, obviously an invitation for him to jump into her arms. He does so.

"You're not going to like this, Shippo, but, I need to do it." Kagome says in a stage whisper to him.

"What!?" Shippo exclaims. "There's something more than just you, Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru being together?" 

Kagome nods. She looks around the room. "Shippo, I order for that to work, I've got to treat both of them fairly, right?"

Shippo purses his lips, but nods, yes.

"So, if I spend some time, alone, with one of them, I need to spend a similar period of time alone with the other."

"Maybe. But what about me?"

"I'll be spending time, with you, too, Shippo. But, if I spend time alone without you, with one, I need to do the same with the other, right?"

"Maybe."

Kagome sighs, "I just spent a lot of time, alone with Sesshomaru, so. I need to spend time alone with Inu-yasha."

A pause.

"You're going to leave me, again!" Shippo shouts.

"Only for a little while, Shippo, then, I'll be back, and I don't plan on leaving you alone after that." Kagome says in a soothing tone.

"Perhaps, Shippo can stay here." Mrs. h says, as she tries to calm things down. "You are my grandson and there is a lot of new things on this side of the well."

Shippo thinks, 'there are a lot of new things here, that might be fun. But is it worth giving inu-yasha a month alone with Kagome? No.'

"No" he says, "Kagome can stay and show me around. And show Miroku, Sango and even Rin around."

"I don't know about that." Kagome says. "There is something else that I need to say, as well."

"What?" Miroku asks, before anyone else.  
  
"When I was with the god tree, he told me that his strength is fading, so, I have no idea how long the well will continue to work."

Silence, as everyone considers that announcement.

"So?" Kagome's mother asks. "You've had time to think about it, Kagome. What do you think will happen?"

Kagome licks her lips. "I don't know. I hope, that, the well will still work after Inu-yasha and I get back, but, once we get back, we'll probably be using the well often, and that drains him faster." 

She pauses, "So, I'd expect that soon after Inu-yasha and I return, the well will stop functioning."

Another silence . . .

"So, Shippo." Kagome says. She nods her head to Miroku, "If you, Miroku, Sango, Rin or even Sesshomaru want to do any sightseeing, you need to do it, now, while Inu-yasha and I are gone. Who knows if you'll get the chance afterward."

"That's not fair!" Shippo cries. "I wanted to look around with you!" Mrs. H steps close to them, in case she has to intervene.

Kagome hugs him, tightly and whispers into his ears. "And, I wanted to do the same, Shippo. I wanted to be there when you saw a chocolate store. I wanted to there when you saw a toy store. I wanted to be there whenever you see a plane, or something else that excites you."

Tears begin to flow down her checks and vanish into his fur. "But, I can't do both at the same time. I can't be with Inu-yasha and with you."

"Kagome." Shippo whispers, tears forming in his eyes, as he hugs her.

"I hate this, Shippo, but I don't see where I've got a choice. If I don't go with inu-yasha, then, everything with him falls apart. I think that you and I can live through a month's separation. Don't you?"

"Yeah. But I hate it." Shippo whispers back.

"So do I, but sometimes you do what you must."

"Yeah."

Mrs. H taps both of them on their shoulders and draws them into a hug. "I'll take great care of him, Kagome. And, I'll take plenty of photos and videos, so you will see his reaction."

"You heard?" Kagome stiffens.

"I didn't need to." Mrs. H whispers. "It was obvious what you were talking about."

Kagome sighs as she kisses her mother's cheek. "Thank you, mother."

"It'll be fun." Her mother replies. "And I'm sure that Sota will help." She turns and looks at Sota. "You'll help me as I take Shippo sightseeing, right?"

Sota's eyes lite up. "Yeah! It'll be great!" he says excitedly.

"Good. That's settled then." Mrs. h replies.

Shippo grumbles a little, but nods along with everyone else.

"How soon will you and inu-yasha leave?" Kagome's mother asks.

"I'm not sure, mother." Kagome replies. "I want to make sure that Kohaku is all right. And, Sesshomaru and I did make a mess at the airport, so, I want to be here in case something happens about that."

"So, you'll probably be here a couple of days?" Yuka asks.

Kagome looks at her friends and nods. "I think so, maybe a three or four. But, I'm going to be really busy, Yuka, so I don't know if I can do anything with you." She grimaces. "And, I just realized I've got to call. No. Make a date with Hojo, so I can talk to him, as well."

"Hojo?" Miroku asks. "The same person that Inu-yasha is always yelling about?"

"Yes." Kagome nods. "Now that I've made my decision, I've got to tell him. I owe him that much."

"Do you want me to call him?" Ayumi asks.

Kagome shakes her head, no. "No. that is my responsibility."

Miroku's head snaps up. Chika and Sango are slowly walking down the stairs.

The expression on Sango's face, causes Kagome's three girlfriends to cringe and look away. Sota, Rin and Shippo do the same. Mrs. h takes a step back as she looks at Sango.

Even Kagome catches her breath at Sango's face.

Miroku quickly steps close to her. He opens his arms in a silent invitation.

Sango looks at him. She looks at his arms.

They look into each other's eyes.

Sango steps close to Miroku and buries her face in his chest. He hugs her tightly.

"Chika?" Mrs. H asks in a very quiet voice.

"Physically, he's fine." Chika replies in a quiet voice.

"Mentally?"

"I don't know, but, he's been through a very traumatic experience. I gave him a sedative. But." Chika shakes her head.

"I tried to give him the hilt of my sword." Sango whispers, but the room is quiet enough that everyone can hear her. "And he throws it across the room in fear."

Chika nods. "I think, that whatever magic was used to cure him, changed his views on fighting. Massively."

A pause, as everyone considers Chika's words.

But, before anyone can say anything . . .

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru open the front door and enter the house. Both of them have small smiles on their faces. Inu-yasha is cleaning his fingernails. Sesshomaru is adjusting his tail.

"What happened?" inu-yasha asks.

End chapter 21.

Authors' note: it looks like there will be a couple/three more chapters, so. I'm wondering what you, the readers, think about my story, as I wrap it up. And if there is anything I need to cover.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


	23. chapter 22

1

Kagome return's chapter 22

"How soon will you and inu-yasha leave?" Kagome's mother asks.

"I'm not sure, mother." Kagome replies. "I want to make sure that Kohaku is all right. And, Sesshomaru and I did make a mess at the airport, so, I want to be here in case something happens about that."

"So, you'll probably be here for a couple of days?" Yuka asks.

Kagome looks at her friends and nods. "I think so, maybe a three or four. But, I'm going to be really busy, Yuka, so I don't know if I can do anything with you." She grimaces. "And, I just realized I've got to call. No. Make a date with Hojo, so I can talk to him, as well."

"Hojo?" Miroku asks. "The same person that Inu-yasha is always yelling about?"

"Yes." Kagome nods. "Now that I've made my decision, I've got to tell him. I owe him that much."

"Do you want me to call him?" Ayumi asks.

Kagome shakes her head, no. "No. that is my responsibility."

Miroku's head snaps up. Chika and Sango are slowly walking down the stairs.

The expression on Sango's face, causes Kagome's three girlfriends to cringe and look away. Sota, Rin and Shippo do the same. Mrs. h takes a step back as she looks at Sango.

Even Kagome catches her breath at Sango's face.

Miroku quickly steps close to her. He opens his arms in a silent invitation.

Sango looks at him. She looks at his arms.

They look into each other's eyes.

Sango steps close to Miroku and buries her face in his chest. He hugs her tightly.

"Chika?" Mrs. H asks in a very quiet voice.

"Physically, he's fine." Chika replies in a quiet voice.

"Mentally?"

"I don't know, but, he's been through a very traumatic experience. I gave him a sedative. But." Chika shakes her head.

"I tried to give him the hilt of my sword." Sango whispers, but the room is quiet enough that everyone can hear her. "And he threw it across the room in fear."

Chika nods. "I think, that whatever magic was used to cure him, changed his views on fighting. Massively."

A pause, as everyone considers Chika's words.

But, before anyone can say anything . . .

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru open the front door and enter the house. Both of them have small smiles on their faces. Inu-yasha is cleaning his fingernails. Sesshomaru is adjusting his tail.

"What happened?" inu-yasha asks.

"Kohaku woke up." Kagome says as she rushes to them. She stops, standing a few feet in front of both of them. She licks her lips, obviously trying to decide, which one, Inu-yasha or Sesshomaru, does she stand next to.

Sesshomaru steps back, as he says, "You need to be with him, Kagome. I've enjoyed our time together. It time for you and Inu-yasha to be together."

Kagome stands next to Inu-yasha and hugs him. He, after a short pause, as he looks shocked at Sesshomaru's public statement, then he hugs her.

"What did you do!?" Sango screams as she throws off Miroku's arms. She rushes Sesshomaru. He quickly grabs her arms and controls her. (Ignoring her feet pounding his legs . . . )

"I did nothing, woman."

"MY brother! What did you do him!?" she screams.

"Sango." Kagome says as she turns around in Inu-yasha arms. "I don't think he knows."

"He was frightened of my sword!"

"I don't know why Tenseiga would cause that to happen." Sesshomaru says, puzzlement in his voice. "I ordered it to cure him. So, all that he suffered through, under Naraku would not hurt him. How Tenseiga chose to cure him, I cannot control."

"Chika, can you make a guess?" Mrs. H asks.

Chika shakes her head. "I don't know. I'm not a psych-nurse." She sighs, "If I had to make a guess, though, I'd say that between the sword, waking up in a very strange place, and what he remembers of his past, has him very confused."

"What would you do?" Kagome's mother asks.

"Huh?" Chika blurts out. "What do you mean?"

"If he was your son, what would you do. You are the nurse, Chika, so, I'm asking a professional's opinion."

Chika nods. She pauses, and looks around the room. Everyone, including Sango, is looking at her.

Chika sighs. "There are two choices, I think." She sighs again. "If he was your son, Kimiko, I'd say, that, alongside with your support and help, he, without question, needs professional help."

She nods to Sango. "He needs to be with his sister. But, since he lives in the past, that professional help doesn't exist." Chika sighs. "And, I'm sorry to say this, but it needs to be said. Sango, you are a warrior, from a warrior culture, but I think your brother doesn't need that type of help."

Sango glares at Chika. "You don't think that taking him outside and doing our standard weapons practice is the best way to do this?"

"No. I think that doing that would be the worst thing that you could do."

"But." Sango sputters. "He and I, we're the last of our clan. We can't stop being demon hunters. I owe that to my ancestors. And so does he."

"How much do you owe your brother, Sango?" Chika asks. "You might, given your determination, get him to use weapons again, but at what cost to him?"

Sango grinds her jaws. "He's tough. He'll survive."

"He won't be happy."

Sango grimaces as a memory of her brother, laughing and playing flashes in her mind. 'How important is seeing him smile again?' she thinks.

"How long will he be out?" Mrs. h asks.

"A few hours." Chika replies. "And, I am sorry to mention this, but, I do need to go home and make some phone calls to explain where I've been. But, I will be back, Kimiko."

Mrs. h nods. "Go ahead, Chika. By the time that you return, we'll have something decided."

Chika goes upstairs, gathers a few things and leaves, while everyone is whispering among themselves.

Kagome goes over to Sango, and the two of them, followed by Mrs. H go up to her room. All three are whispering between them.

"Shippo." Inu-yasha growls, as the door to Kagome's room closes.

"What, Inu-yasha?" Shippo asks.

"Come here." Inu-yasha snaps.

"Why should I?"

"Because, son of Kagome, we need to talk." Sesshomaru interrupts.

"About what?"

Sesshomaru's eyes flick across the room. "I would have thought that would be obvious, son of Kagome." A slight pause. "And, we will talk in private."

Shippo licks his lips, and looks around the room. 'Alone? With the two of them? They'll kill me.' He thinks. 'No. They won't. If they do, Kagome will hate them. And, we might need to talk, but,'

"With Kagome?" Shippo asks.

"No." Inu-yasha barks. "Just the three of us."

"This conversation will happen sooner or later." Sesshomaru adds, ominously. "I am in a pleasant mood, Kitsune." A pause. "For now."

Shippo grimaces. He looks at Miroku. Miroku subtly shrugs his shoulders. Shippo grimaces again, but nods. "Ok."

Inu-yasha looks over the room. "We'll be back." He growls at them as they leave the room.

"What was that about?" Eri asks, breathlessly after they leave.

"If he's Kagome's son. And, Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru are going to be part of her family. How will those three guys work together?" Ayumi states.

"Oh. I should have thought about that."

"What about Rin?" Rin asks.

Miroku goes over to her and bows slightly. "Don't worry, little Rin, Between Sesshomaru and Kagome, Inu-yasha will treat you as well as he treats any girl. Shippo is just concerned about himself."

Outside . . .

Sesshomaru, Inu–yasha and Shippo are standing in the well house.

"Why in here?" Shippo asks.

"Kagome hates it when I'm standing outside. She's afraid that someone will notice." He snorts. "It's too late to worry about that now, but, she'd still get upset, so." Inu-yasha says. "We'll be in here."

Shippo and Sesshomaru nod.

Silence . . .

Shippo folds his arms across his chest, and growls out, "I'm not leaving her. She is my mother."

Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha exchange a glance.

Inu-yasha opens his mouth. He shuts it with snap. 'I can't say that. I may not like the little shit at times, but I don't hate him.' He thinks.

"This Sesshomaru has no desire that you leave her."

"Then why?" Shippo asks.

"This Sesshomaru has a desire to be, alone, with Kagome." Sesshomaru glares at Shippo. "You can interfere with that desire."

"You're damn right. I can interfere with that." Shippo glares at Sesshomaru.

Inu-yasha hides a smirk, at Shippo's defiance and Sesshomaru's expression. 'Sesshomaru can't even hurt the little bastard, so what can he do to him.' He thinks.

Sesshomaru, visibly, controls himself. "Shippo." A pause. "In honor of my commitments to my consort, Kagome, I am going to make this offer. Since she would appreciate a nonviolent way to handle this." He looks at Shippo. "She would want us to find such a way, correct?"

Shippo grimaces, but nods.

"You, as her son, have a legitimate demand for her time." Sesshomaru points to Inu-yasha. "Inu-yasha, as her husband, has a legitimate demand on her time. I, as her consort, also, have a desire for personal and private time with her."

"Consort?" Inu-yasha asks.

"Do you know of a better term for her?" Sesshomaru responds. "She will not be my wife, nor will I make her my official concubine. It's a term that she, after some discussion, agreed to."

Inu-yasha growls, but nods.

Sesshomaru turns to Shippo, and continues, "none of the three will get what we want."

"Kagome, alone, by herself." Shippo mutters in a low voice.

"Yes." Inu-yasha hisses.

"Correct." Sesshomaru replies. "So, we three have a choice. Kill the other two, and hope that Kagome forgives our actions, or somehow work together."

Sesshomaru looks at Inu-yasha. "Correct, Inu-yasha?"

Inu-yasha grimaces, but nods.

He looks at Shippo. "Correct, son of Kagome?"

Shippo nods and kicks the floor of the well house.

Sesshomaru holds up his hand and acid dribbles down at, hissing as it hits the floor. "While I am not, categorically, denying my right to kill you two, I will work with you."

"As long as we do what you order!?" Inu-yasha hisses, as he flexes his claws.

Sesshomaru looks at his little brother, and then sighs, massively. "No. As long as I can have some private time with her, I will be content."

"How much time?" Shippo asks.

Sesshomaru shrugs. "I would like to demand a third of her time. But, I won't."

"Why?" Inu-yasha hisses out.

"Two reasons, Inu-yasha. Unlike the two of you, I do have responsibilities, as the Lord of the Western Lands. And those responsibilities will occupy a great deal of my time. So, probably could not spend a third of it with her, no matter what."

"The second." Shippo hisses.

Sesshomaru raises his eyebrow. "That, no matter what we might decide, Kagome will make her own choices. And I will respect her choice." He smiles. "I will argue with her, perhaps, to change her mind, but, I will respect her decision."

"Then, why did you two drag me in here?" Shippo asks.

"Because, this Sesshomaru would like Kagome to think that I, at least, am not causing her problems. No matter how much she cares for someone, even myself, if I'm causing her to yell, scream and get upset, how much will she like that?" he pauses, as he looks at Shippo and Inu-yasha. "So, much against my normal desires, I will be diplomatic."

"And, if we don't agree, you'll run to her and squeal on us." Shippo spits out.

Sesshomaru smiles, but doesn't say a thing.

Shippo and Inu-yasha exchange a glance. Both grimace.

"Ok, what do you have planned?" Inu-yasha, finally, asks.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


	24. chapter 23

Kagome's return chapter 23

Sesshomaru looks at his little brother, and then sighs, massively. "No. As long as I can have some private time with her, I will be content."

"How much time?" Shippo asks.

Sesshomaru shrugs. "I would like to demand a third of her time. But, I won't."

"Why?" Inu-yasha hisses out.

"Two reasons, Inu-yasha. Unlike the two of you, I do have responsibilities, as the Lord of the Western Lands. And those responsibilities will occupy a great deal of my time. So, I, probably, could not spend a third of it with her, no matter what."

"The second." Shippo hisses.

Sesshomaru raises his eyebrow. "That, no matter what we might decide, Kagome will make her own choices. And I will respect her choice." He smiles. "I will argue with her, perhaps, to change her mind, but, I will respect her decision."

"Then, why did you two drag me in here?" Shippo asks.

"Because, this Sesshomaru would like Kagome to think that I, at least, am not causing her problems. No matter how much she cares for someone, even myself, if I'm causing her to yell, scream and get upset, how much will she like that?" he pauses, as he looks at Shippo and Inu-yasha. "So, much against my normal desires, I will be diplomatic."

"And, if we don't agree, you'll run to her and squeal on us." Shippo spits out.

Sesshomaru smiles, but doesn't say a thing.

Shippo and Inu-yasha exchange a glance. Both grimace.

"Ok, what do you have planned?" Inu-yasha, finally, asks.

Later . . .

Inside Kagome's house.

After Sesshomaru and Rin have a few private minutes together, they join most of the rest in the living room.

Once, there, since Kagome, Sango, Mrs. H and Chika are upstairs with Kohaku, Rin (with promoting and help of Shippo, Miroku and Kagome's friends) manages to get Sesshomaru to tell the story of what he and Kagome went through.

Sesshomaru, of course, remains standing during his story. Rin, sits next to him, hugging his leg, as she listens to him.

Kagome's three girl friends are sitting on the couch, with Shippo. They pass him around, petting and hugging him, as they listen to his story. (He's having a ball, by the way.)

Miroku and Sota sit together in the chair. Miroku does ask Sesshomaru questions, and occasionally flips off with a one-liner or two, as Sesshomaru tells the story.

Inu-yasha, also not sitting down, paces the room, looking up the stairs every time he passes them. And, growling every time he hears something in Sesshomaru story that he dislikes.

Suddenly, Inu-yasha spins and stares at the stairs. Sesshomaru and Shippo also twist and stare at the stairs.

Kagome, Sango, Mrs. H and Chika are walking down the stairs, slowly.

Silence as everyone looks at them, and watches as they settle into place in the room.

Sota quickly gets off the chair with Miroku, allowing Sango to sit next to Miroku. He quickly grabs her hand and squeezes it. Sango smiles or grimaces, depending on your point of view, at him. He smiles back, trying to lift her spirits.

Kagome's three friends slide off the couch, allowing Mrs. h and Chika to sit down, with Shippo. Kagome, after a silent invitation from her mother, shakes her head and remains standing.

She begins to slowly look around the room.

Silence.

Tension builds as everyone realizes that important decisions are about to be announced.

"Kagome?" Sango's voice cracks as she speaks. "You wanted us."

"Together." Kagome interrupts her friend.

"Yes." Sango hisses.

Kagome takes a long look at the wall facing the god tree's location, as if she is trying to look through the wall, then she sighs and turns to her family and friends.

"I have some things that I have to say." Kagome begins. "And I have to say them before we can begin to decide about Kohaku or a lot of other things."

"What?" Inu-yasha asks in a harsh tone.

Kagome raises her hand and looks at as she twists it around.

Everyone stares at her . . .

Kagome sighs. "I'm don't know how to say this, so. I'll be blunt."

She looks at her mother, takes a deep breath, and quickly says, "During the battle with Naraku, I used a magic acorn given to me by the god tree."

The word "fuck" slips through Inu-yasha's lips.

"That acorn, combined with the fact that my father is the god tree." Shippo, Miroku and Sango hiss in surprise at the statement. "Has changed me. I am my father's daughter. In all ways."

"A Kami?" Sesshomaru asks. "A goddess?"

Kagome grimaces and nods. "I think so. Ever since then, my senses, especially my mystical senses have been going overboard." She shakes her head. "It's like I'm squinting into the sun, just to see straight, there is some much . . . " her voice trails off, as she looks at her three friends.

'Some, a lot, of what I'm feeling, the words to describe it, doesn't exist' she thinks. She shakes her head, again.

"Are you sure?" Mrs. H asks.

Kagome nods. "Sure enough that I'm talking about it." Mrs. H grimaces. "I am planning on a long talk with the god tree, to make sure about some things, but, that's just minor details."

"What type of things?" Yuka asks, before a couple of others can.

Kagome slumps. "On this side of the well, I feel bad, tried, worn out. On the other side of the well, I felt . . . "She blushes, "like I am making love and I am riding the orgasm."

Most of the people in the room, cough or blush at that statement.

"And," Kagome stresses, "I'm feeling worse, as time passes."

"Kagome?!" Mrs. H squeals, "Should Chika look at you?"

"I am going to have her to that, mother." Kagome replies, "I don't think she'll learn much, but, I am going to have her do it." She pauses. "I think that the acorn anchored my soul on the other side of the well."  
  
She sighs. "If fact, I'm pretty sure about that. It is one of the things that I was planning on asking the god tree about, but, that's simply because I wanted to ask him, not that I think that I'll get a different answer."

"If that is the case." Miroku begins to say, "Then sooner or later, you'll have to return to the other side of the well. And live on that side."

Kagome nods. "Yes." She nods her head at her friends. "So, sooner or later, Ayumi, Eri and Yuka, I'm going to have to say good-bye."

"How soon?" Ayumi asks, first.

Kagome shrugs."That I'm not sure about, probably a couple of months, I hope."

"Hope?" Eri asks. "Why? Even if you have to live on that side of the well, surely you can visit?"

Kagome grimaces. "The god tree has, also, told me that his power is fading. Soon, and he didn't know how soon, his power will fade and the well will stop working."

"Can your powers help?" Sango asks.

She shakes her head. "He said that only his could power the well."

"Hmmmm." Sesshomaru begins to speak. "That does not prevent you from recreating his spell."

Kagome's eyes flash. She bows to him. "Thank you, my consort." A large growl from Inu-yasha at that term, along with puzzled looks from the rest of the group. "I didn't think about that. I will ask him about that spell."

Sesshomaru continues. "Although, Higurashi Kagome-kami, I should warn you, that I'm quite sure that such a spell would be very complex and require a tremendous amount of power and experience to cast."

Kagome takes a deep breath, as she nods. "Even if I can't cast it, I'd still like to know it."

"So would this Sesshomaru."

Mrs. h, in a shaky voice, says, "So, my dear, you'll will have to live on the other side of the well, and the well will stop working soon."

Kagome, tears beginning to form in her eyes, nods.

"And you have no idea about how soon?"

"Not really. He promised me that he'd warn me when his power drops too much, but he also said that more often we use the well, the faster his power will fade."

Silence . . .

"How does that affect what we talked about with Kohaku?" Sango whispers into it.

Kagome turns to her friend and with tears in her eyes, whispers, "I don't know. But that was why I didn't say anything when my mother made her offer."

"What offer?" Miroku asks. 

"That Kohaku live here with Kagome's mother, at least for a while, so the doctors on this side of the well could help him. And I would live here, traveling back and forth through the well as necessary." Sango replies. "Now, if the well is going to stop and soon, I can't. Kohaku is going to have to return to our side of the well."

'Even though, Chika and Mrs. h have convinced me that, if he returns home with me, he'll never be the same. He'll hate me for forcing him to use weapons.' Sango thinks. 'Can I do that to my brother?'

"Or, he can still stay here." Mrs. H states in a firm tone. 

"Mom?" Sota asks in a shocked tone.

Mrs. h, allows a small smile on her lips. "If I'm going to be losing a daughter, having a son to replace her, would be nice. And I'm sure that my father would have approved."

"You would make that offer?" Sango asks. "You've never"

Kagome's mother waves her to be silent. "The offer stands." She says in a tone that will not allow a reply or an argument. "I will help him to the best of my ability. You are my daughter, if I don't make that offer, If I don't do everything that I can, then I am not a parent."

Everyone looks at Mrs. h.

A pause, the silence broken by Sesshomaru as he bows to Mrs. H and says. "You, madam, are, almost, making me wish that you were my mother."

Mrs. h, quickly raises and gives Sesshomaru a quick bow in reply. "I am grateful that you, almost, wish to be my human son."

He nods. 'She did understand the magnitude of that compliment. Good.' He thinks.

Sango, her eyes wide, whispers, "You really mean that offer?"

Mrs. h nods.

"Mother?" Kagome asks. "How will you explain Kohaku?"

"I woke up one morning, and while sweeping the front door, I saw him, laying unconscious, outside on the temple grounds." Mrs. h explains. "Something, obviously, has happened to him. Since he was found on my land, in my temple, I am responsible for him." Her eyes twinkle. "And, since I'm going to be losing my daughter, under mysterious circumstances, he might be connected, so I'm not letting him go."

She smiles. "I'll let the government try to explain his history."

"They won't know what to do with him." Chika says firmly.

Mrs. H nods. "And, as such, since he is nobody's responsibility, my offer to care for him, probably won't be argued with." She shrugs. "And, if there is, one of my friends husband is a reporter for one of the local tv stations. A little public exposure, framed properly, will take of any other problems."

She turns to Sango and asks, "Sango?"

Sango bites her lips. "I'll think about, and even mention it to him, ah, mother. But, I'm not going to make this important decision without thinking about it."

"Of course." Mrs. H replies. "And, since we will have time to consider it, there is no hurry."

"You're still nervous." Inu-yasha declares at he stares at Kagome. "I can smell it. So what else is there?"

Kagome nods. "Yes, there are still a few more announcements. I need to do." She looks at Inu-yasha, and then at Sesshomaru.

"Would you two, please, come here and stand next to me?" She asks them.

Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha glance at each other, grimace and move to stand next to Kagome. Inu-yasha on her right, Sesshomaru on her left.

She grabs their hands and squeezes. "Mother," She nods to her mother. "Sota, Sango, Miroku." She continues nodding to them. "Shippo. Rin. And my friends."

"Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru, and I have made our choices." She pauses. "Inu-yasha and I will, with your permission," She nods to her mother. "Get married."

A huge sigh passes through the room.

"I have, also, agreed to become Sesshomaru's consort."

Silence . . .

"Mother." Kagome looks at Mrs. H. "Do I posses your approval?"

Mrs. h stands up. Her eyes flick to Sesshomaru.

He stares back, then, gives her a slight nod.

Her eyes flick to Inu-yasha.

Inu-yasha, with a stone cold face, gives her a slight nod.

She walks up to Kagome. She looks at Kagome's hands, which still grip Inu-yasha's and Sesshomaru's hands. She reaches out. One hand covers the grip between Inu-yasha and Kagome. The other hand covers Sesshomaru's and Kagome's grip.

"I give you my permission."

Kagome, instantly, drops her grip on the men, and hugs her mother. Mrs. H, instantly grips the hands of Inu-yasha and Kagome.

As Kagome hugs and cries into her mother's shoulder. Her mother is silently, via her gaze communicating with Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru.

Her gaze is telling them, in no-uncertain terms, do not hurt, in any way, her daughter. Do it, and even if she is on the other side of the well, she'll know, and she'll find a way to punish them.

Both Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru break eye contact, and nod, silently agreeing to her demand.

Mrs. H drops their hands and hugs her daughter.

"Congratulations." Miroku says in a neutral tone. 'I would try to make a joke, perhaps, since they are sharing Kagome, if I could join in, but, the mood of the room is wrong.' He thinks.

Everyone else in the room adds in their congratulations, as well.

Kagome, finally, releases her mother and steps back to Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. She clears her throat. "Now." She pauses. "In a couple of days, Inu-yasha and I will be returning to the other side of the well. We will, then, go on a vacation."

"You're going to be married that quickly!" Eri squeals out.

Inu-yasha blanches and goes pale.

Kagome shakes her head. "No, Eri. He and I have been apart from each other. And, both of us would like to get to know each other again."

"And without Naraku and Kikyo around, you two need time to talk." Sango adds in.

Kagome nods.

"Once we return from that, then," Kagome looks at her mother. "Then, maybe, we'll have a wedding then."

"I don't know about that." Inu-yasha growls out. "I agreed to marry you, but, don't you think that is too quick."

Kagome turns to him and smiles. "It something to talk about."

Inu-yasha snorts, but nods.

Kagome's smile grows.

Sesshomaru clears his throat. "Kagome have you found out why the God tree used Naraku, Kikyo and Jewel? All of that was a test, a forge to create you. For what?"

Kagome turns to Sesshomaru, her face changes becoming very serious. "Yes. I have."

"What?!" Miroku asks in an excited voice. "What does that mean, Kagome?"

Kagome sighs. "It's going to be hard to explain to you two." She nods to Miroku and Sango. She looks at her mother, Chika and her friends. "Although you should understand."

"Explain?" Sango asks.

"On this side of the well, Sango." Kagome replies. "Mankind rules. But, instead of caring for the world, mankind is destroying the world." She shivers. "I can feel it."

"You can?" Mrs. H asks in a low voice.

Kagome nods. "My senses. Somehow, I can feel the deaths of the trees in the world." She takes a deep breath. "And, that is why they created me. To save the world."

Silence . . .

She slumps. "Their plan was to create a person, from now, with the knowledge of the destruction of the world and send that person back in time, to change the world."

"The well." Inu-yasha growls.

Kagome nods. "Yes. However, their plan didn't work as they had hoped. But."

She looks around the room. "But." She repeats herself. "I can't ignore what is happening. And, since I'm going to living on the other side of the well, I can't ignore what will happen."

She takes a deep breath. "I have tremendous power. I have the knowledge that unless something happens, mankind will destroy the world I live in. I have a moral responsibility to prevent that."

She pauses as she looks around the room.

Everyone in the room, slowly, nods.

She sighs. "My dreams . . . I always thought that Inu-yasha and I would live happily ever after. I never really considered how we would live. You know, what job Inu-yasha would have, or I would have." She sighs again. "Now."

Anther pause.

"Now, I know. My job is to change the world." Kagome states.

She looks at her friends and family. Her lips twist into a small smile. "At least, on the other side of the well, I don't have to start changing the world instantly."

Her eyes catch and hold the eyes of her family and friends as she slowly surveys the room. "But, sooner or later, I'm going to need help."

"OF course, I'll help." Sango says, instantly. 'Kagome has stood by me from the very first time that we've met. Not to help her would be, probably, the worst mistake that I'll ever make.' She thinks.

"Change the world?" Miroku murmurs. "For the better?" he asks.

"Of course." Kagome replies instantly. She sighs. "Exactly how, I don't know. Although, I don't think, it will be all that simple."

"That, I think," Miroku replies. "Is an understatement of tremendous proportions." A twinkle appears in his eyes. "Of course, I'll help."

'As a goddess, she'll need someone to help her as her following grows. Someone will have to be her high priest.' He thinks.

Shippo smiles and nods, as Kagome's eyes catch his. 'My mother is a goddess! I wonder what will happen?' he thinks.

Kagome's three girl friends nod, awe in their eyes.

Kagome's mother and Kagome lock eyes.

A timeless pause, as everyone looks at Mrs. h, waiting for her reaction.

Mrs. h's lips slowly expand into a smile. "I always knew that you would grow into someone special." She pauses. "You can change the world, my daughter. And I will, of course, support you."

"Yeah!" Sota exclaims.

Kagome turns to Sesshomaru.

He replies to her silent question. "Of course, I will support you."

'Hmmm.' Sesshomaru thinks. 'The exact details about who, what, and how to change the world will be interesting to determine.'

She turns to Inu-yasha.

Inu-yasha smirks. "Change the world, hmmm. Good. After Naraku, I need a challenge."

Kagome's lips twitch into a smile. "Of course, Inu-yasha."

The end of this chapter.

Author's note: there is a couple of loose ends left, but this sets up my next major storyline Kagome: Goddess of japan.

Right now, I'll probably have another couple of chapters, as I clean up the loose ends, then, sometime in September I'll start that storyline.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


	25. pizza!

1Kagome returns ch 24

Authors' note: a humorous chapter to show how they'll work together, rather than a combat chapter.

'Hmmm.' Sesshomaru thinks. 'The exact details about who, what, and how to change the world will be interesting to determine.'

She turns to Inu-yasha.

Inu-yasha smirks. "Change the world, hmmm. Good. After Naraku, I need a challenge."

Kagome's lips twitch into a smile. "Of course, Inu-yasha."

a pause . . .

"Well," Kagome's mother says, "It sounds like there are a lot of things to do." She flicks her eyes at a window and notes the low hanging sun. "But, first, we'll eat."

"Yeah! I am hungry!" Shippo says from between Kagome's three girl friends. There is a general low voiced agreement from everyone else.

Mrs. H rubs her chin, as she considers the logistics of the meal, "In honor of Kagome's announcements, I should prepare a special meal."

"Mother. There is no need. Besides, that would take a while, and I think, at least, some people would like to eat sooner than that." Kagome mentions.

"Are you sure?" Kagome's mother asks as she looks around the room. Nobody contradicts Kagome. "OK. Then, in honor of our family members from the past, some modern foods are in order."

'Especially since they may not be able to sample it for long.' she thinks.

"Any suggestions?" she asks.

While Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Rin and Sesshomaru look on with various expressions of surprise, delight and horror, Kagome's three girl friends, Sota, Kagome and Kagome's mother have a short, but intense discussion about various foods.

Pizza, by the way, finally, wins. (So many toppings . . . so everyone can be satisfied.) Ayumi, Eri and Yuka do want to treat Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Rin special, so . . .

Thirty minutes later . . .

"What is that smell?" Inu-yasha asks, as he crinkles his nose.

The doorbell rings.

"That's probably the pizza's!" Ayumi exclaims.

Mrs. H opens the door. It is the pizza boy. While she is paying him, including a generous tip for walking up all those steps, with all these pizza's, the girls take the pizza's and bring them into the kitchen.

"What is that smell?" Shippo asks. 'Some of it is meat. I can tell that. But what sort? And part of the other smells? I have no idea?' he thinks.

"Ah!" Eri says, "This is yours, Kagome."

She hands Kagome her pizza topped with shredded pork, shemji mushrooms, bamboo shoots, seaweed, shiso leaves. Kagome smiles, "My favorite!"

"Here's yours, Sango!" Ayumi calls.

"I remembered that you liked chicken, Sango." Kagome says as she starts to eat her pizza. "So, I made sure that it was added."

Sango cautiously opens up her box. "I am supposed to eat this?" she asks as she looks at Kagome. Kagome picks up a piece and takes a bite, to show Sango (and the others) how to eat pizza.

Sango picks up a piece and takes bite. She smiles, as she likes the Teriyaki chicken, fresh mayonnaise, shredded seaweed, fresh mushroom, sweet corn, onion, and parsley topping.

"Here's yours, Miroku!" Eri calls out.

"Miroku, I know that in the field, we have to eat meat on occasion, but, there isn't any in your pizza." Kagome mentions.

Miroku smiles as he accepts the pizza. He thinks, 'She did remember. I've had to purify myself many, many times during our adventures. As a monk, I should not eat the flesh of animals, but, sometimes, all we have is rabbit stew.'

His pizza toppings, by the way, are green asparagus, broccoli, tomato, mushrooms, corn, red & green pepper, onions and extra cheese.

After a bite, he nods to Kagome's girls friends. "A very nice dish, my complements for suggesting this dish."

"Thank you." They chorus back.

"What is causing that smell?" Inu-yasha growls as he, fed up with waiting and being polite grabs one of the pizzas at the bottom of the stack. Only some very quick reflexes by Yuka, Eri and Ayumi prevent some of the pizzas from falling to the floor.

Inu-yasha opens up the box. He coughs, as he looks at the pizza. The black sauce, not the red one that all the others have, catches his attention first. Then, the smell. The odor of the kimchi (Korean pickled cabbage) is what he is smelling, and the pizza has eel, roe, jalapenos and fish flakes.

"Eat it!" Ayumi smiles. "It's good!"

"Yeah!" Yuka adds.

"I don't know." Inu-yasha mumbles.

"You've always said you've got an iron stomach." Shippo adds.

"Oh, that one." Kagome says. "Once, when I went out with Hojo, I tried that one on him, but, he declined to eat it."

'The first good thing that I've heard about him.' Inu-yasha thinks.

"Scared?" Sesshomaru says slyly. "It's only food."

Inu-yasha growls at Sesshomaru. He picks up a slice and shoves it into his mouth, crumbling it to fit into his mouth, his checks puffing out like a squirrel. His jaws work and he swallows. He says, "Let's see you eat it, Sesshomaru."

He smiles. His black teeth gleam in the light.

He totally forgot the instead of tomato sauce, this pizza had black squid-ink sauce . . .

Shippo begins to laugh at him.

The girls giggle.

"What?" Inu-yasha demands.

"Your teeth are black." Rin states, as she hides behind Sesshomaru.

"Black?" Inu-yasha opens his mouth and rubs his teeth. His fingers have a black stain on them. "Shit! Fuck!"

"Hey!" Sota yells, "That's my pizza! It's good!"

"Yours!?" Inu-yasha yells at him.

"Yeah!" Sota yells, as he stalks up to the table to get his pizza. "I didn't say anything, because I thought that you'd like it." He sniffles at the end of his sentence.

Inu-yasha blinks. He opens his mouth. 'What do I do?' he thinks. His eyes flick to Kagome. She gives him a Mona Lisa grin, and shrugs. 'No help there.'

"Ah," Inu-yasha intelligently says.

In a very low voice, so only inu-yasha and maybe Shippo can hear him, Sesshomaru says, "I did like it, it surprised me it was so good."

Inu-yasha shots' Sesshomaru a dirty look, then says, "I did like it, Sota, it just surprised me, it was so good."

"YEAH!" Sota yells as he jumps Inu-yasha and hugs him.

Inu-yasha looks over at Sesshomaru and smiles. "IT is good." He reaches over Sota and grabs a piece and points it at Sesshomaru. "You try it."

Everyone looks at Sesshomaru. He looks around the room. 'There is no way out of this with dignity, so.' he thinks.

He walks over to Inu-yasha, takes the piece of pizza and carefully eats it. After each bite, he does make sure that his tongue cleans his teeth before he opens his mouth.

"A very different meal." Sesshomaru states, as he nods, politely to Sota.

"Cool!" Sota coos.

While this has been happening, Kagome has been going through the pizza boxes.

"Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru." She calls, holding two boxes. "These are yours. They are the same. I saw no reason to start an argument."

Both boys grab their boxes and open them. They both smile. The odors of meat have been tickling their noses.

The odors of cubed beef, pepperoni, bacon, chicken, shredded pork, garlic, special steak sauce, red and green pepper, and jalapenos are why.

Sesshomaru, since Inu-yasha has to detach Sota from him, starts to eat first. However . . . the first bite included a whole jalapeno pepper . . .

Using his speed, he finds and drinks a can of coke, before most people can see him. Although the empty, crushed can tell Kagome why he used that speed.

"Spicy?" She asks with a smile.

"May I ask, why did you include that topping?" Sesshomaru asks.

Kagome shrugs. "The spice of life." She thinks.

"I notice that yours does not include it." He remarks.

She nods. "I didn't feel like it, tonight."

Inu-yasha takes a more cautious bite of his pizza. As he does, Eri hands him a can of coke. He gladly drinks the coke.

"What about me?" Shippo asks.

"Here it is, Shippo." Ayumi says, as Eri and Yuka nods. "WE asked for this one special for you."

Shippo opens his pizza box. "Give some of that to Rin." Kagome adds in, as he grabs a piece.

"Do I have to?" He whines.

"Yes." She replies. "Rin, you can go ahead and have some."

Rin grabs a piece.

Shippo takes a bite. He smiles.

Rin takes a bite. She smiles.

They both think, 'I've never had something like this!'

They both polish off the pizza faster than Inu-yasha finishes his. The toppings? Shrimp, squid, octopus, clam, scallops, smoked salmon, tuna, onions, green peppers, tomato.

Within a few minutes as everyone grabs their pizza's and eats, the room buzzes with conversations between everyone else. The mood of the room quickly becomes very relaxed, and almost everyone is enjoying themselves.

But.

Sesshomaru quietly, and silently leaves, after finishing his pizza.

Kagome thinks, 'he's still not comfortable around crowds, especially when we're having fun.'

"Kagome?" Mrs. H whispers, nodding her head in Sesshomaru's direction.

"As the lord of the western lands, he shouldn't be hanging out and having fun." Kagome replies. She sighs.

"Stuck up, asshole." Inu-yasha mutters.

Kagome shakes her head. "No, Inu-yasha, he's not. I don't think that he'll ever be very comfortable just hanging out and having fun. It's beneath his dignity."

"Same thing I said before." Inu-yasha mutters.

Kagome sighs. She puts down her pizza. "I'll be back in a minute." She says as she leaves the room.

Inu-yasha starts to follow her, but Mrs. H puts a hand on his arm and shakes her head. He grunts, but sits down.

Outside . . .

"Sesshomaru?"

"That was not dignified." Sesshomaru's voice sounds from the shadows around the god tree.

"I know." She says as she walks over to him. "Sometimes I won't be. And sometimes my friends won't be, either."

"Are you going to force me back?"

She shakes her head. "No. Sesshomaru, my consort, I'm not." She places her hand on his arm. "Oh, I could force you. But, you'd dislike it, and I don't like that."

A pause. He nods. "I think I will stay out here. Those idiots from the airport might show up."

She nods. "So, they might."

A pause.

"Are you sure that you're fine about Inu-yasha and I going away for a month?" She whispers.

"In a perfect world, no. but the world isn't perfect. And, there are other things that I must do."

"Your mother."

He nods.

"Unless something comes up, once we return, then we'll take care of her."

"You probably need to return. I can hear Shippo whining under his breath waiting for you."

Kagome sighs. "Shippo. He's going to try to ambush me, to get me to change my mind about this."

"Will he?" Sesshomaru asks. "You are, in my opinion, very gentle with him."

"Too gentle?" Kagome's lips jerk into a smile. "Perhaps. But, I'd rather be too gentle than too harsh."

"A pattern of behavior that I've noticed." Sesshomaru says in a dry voice.

Kagome squeezes his arm and hugs him. "Please, be happy. Concentrate on the good times, not the bad."

"I'll be happy." He replies as she stops hugging him. She flashes him a smile and enters the house.

Inside . . .

"Kagome!" Shippo calls as he jumps into her arms.

"Shippo." Kagome smiles as she hugs him.

"Kagome." Shippo begins to say in a very whining voice.

"Stop." Kagome says.

"But."

"Shippo." Kagome sighs. She hugs him close, rubbing her check against his. "I love you, always. But. There will be times that I can not be with you."

"Why?" he whines.

"Because I also love Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. And I, also, need to spend time with them."

"And I get screwed."

Kagome's eyebrows rise at that statement. "No." She sighs. "Shippo," She whispers, "I'll tell you a secret."

She pauses, enhancing the suspense, "I don't like being away from you. I don't like being away from Inu-yasha. I don't like being away from Sesshomaru. I don't like being away from Sango and Miroku, or my mother, or Sota, but, there is times when I have to be."

"I don't like it either."

She rubs his head, playing with his ears. "I know. And, when I get back, I'll try to make it up to you."

"How?"

"I don't know, not just yet." Kagome's eyes narrow. "But, I will find something. Ok?"

"I don't like it."

Kagome sighs, "While, I would like you to like this, I'm not asking for you to like it, Shippo. Do you understand why I'm doing this?"

A pause.

"Shippo, do you understand why I'm doing this?"

"Yes."

Kagome kisses Shippo on the tip of his nose. "Good. Now. Do you hate me, for doing this?"

"Huh?" total surprise is in Shippo's voice. "No."

"Shippo, I know that you need a parent. And I'll try to be the best one that I can be. But, are you going to be a possessive jerk, like Inu-yasha can be?"

"I'm not inu-yasha!" Shippo replies hotly.

"But, you are being a spoiled child." Kagome smiles. "Which is my fault, of course, and, once I return, I will try to be a better parent." She pauses, "SO, think about this Shippo, if you are a spoiled child, I'll have to change how I treat you. If you are not a spoiled child, I don't. Right?"

"Yes."

"So, am I going to have to change how I treat you?"

A pause. Shippo, finally, shakes his head, no.

"Good, then you will not be spoiled, and you'll understand and accept my decision to spend some time with my husband to be."

Shippo takes a deep breath, then he nods, yes.

Kagome kisses him again. "Thank you, Shippo. I do love you." She hugs him close.

"Ahmmm." Inu-yasha clears his throat, as he stands next to them.

"Inu-yasha." Kagome says in a stern tone. "Please, don't sneak up on me like that."

"You, Shippo, Sesshomaru and I need to talk." Inu-yasha says as he pulls out a couple of pieces of paper.

Kagome looks at the paper. "About what?"

"The three of us got to talking and we came up with a plan." Inu-yasha waves the papers off to one side.

"A plan about?"

"About how we'll share you?" Shippo says.

"I seeeee." Kagome hisses. Her eyes narrow. She spins and stomps to Sesshomaru, with Shippo still in her arms. Inu-yasha follows her.

"You heard?" She asks Sesshomaru.

He nods.

Inu-yasha folds open the papers and begin to speak, "Ok, Kagome, here is." He stops speaking . . . he has to Kagome has grabbed the paper and taken it from him.

"You three wrote this down earlier, right?" Kagome says she begins to read the paper. She placed Shippo down as she grabbed the paper.

"I wrote it down." Sesshomaru says.

"Yeah. After we talked about how we're going to share you." Shippo pipes in.

"Yeah. This how we will do it." Inu-yasha says, emphasizing the word 'will'.

"It is a fair plan." Sesshomaru remarks. "Obviously, since you haven't seen it, there will need to be some changes, but it should give us a starting point."

Kagome thinks, 'they created this in that short of time? Typical boy planning. It reads like the baseball rule book. Time for 'special' moments for inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. Time for 'fun' moments for shippo. Differing amount time for different types of 'special' moments.'

A growl begins to grow deep in her throat.

Inu-yasha, Sesshomaru and Shippo exchange glances and exchange a single thought. 'I think we just screwed up . . . badly . . . '

Kagome, slowly and deliberately, begins to rip the paper into little, itty-bitty pieces. As she is doing this, her eyes lock into each boys eyes.

She stares down Shippo.

She stares down Inu-yasha.

She stares down Sesshomaru.

As she throws the pieces of paper into the air, she declares in a tense hard voice. "We are a family. The love within a family can not and will not be limited. My time to spend with each of you, is, unfortunately limited, my love for you is not."

She pauses, gathering her thoughts. None of the boys do anything more than breath.

"I will spend as much time, as I can with each of you. I will, to the best of my ability, treat you all equally. Just as I love you three equally."

She growls. "Do you three understand that?"

They nod, still speechless.

"My love is not limited to any specific plan. My love is not limited to any specific timetable."

She pauses.

"Do any of you wish to say anything?"

The three boys look at each other, and then at Kagome.

Shippo shakes his head. He slumps and starts to slinky off.

"Shippo." Kagome says in a light voice. "Please come here."

Shippo turns. Kagome is kneeling down, her arms wide. "Please." Kagome begs.

Shippo slowly walks into her arms. "I'm not mad at you." Kagome hugs him and stands up.

Her eyes catch Inu-yasha's and Sesshomaru's. "I am not mad at any of you. But, we are a family. And families don't need a timetable. We will here for each other. We will love each other. And no plan, no timetable is needed for that."

Kagome's mouth twitches into a smile. "Now, does anyone have anything to say?"

Sesshomaru's mouth twitches. He nods. "I love you, Kagome." He says. "With all that it means." He bends over and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "I will remain outside, on guard."

Kagome turns to Inu-yasha.

Inu-yasha's ears twitch. His mouth twitches. "Why didn't you like it?"

Kagome's eyes roll up. "Because, Inu-yasha, no plan like that is going to work. Sooner or later, something would happen, and I'd have to ignore that plan. And then, you or Sesshomaru, or Shippo would get mad, because I'm ignoring that plan. I'm not going to have that happen. So, no plan. We will live together. The harmony between us might change from day to day, but we will live together."

Inu-yasha sighs. He nods. He spins to walk away. He stops. He spins back around.

He walks over to Kagome and kisses her on the cheek, right where Sesshomaru kissed. "I love you."

Kagome purrs as she says, "Tonight. You sleep in my room."

Inu-yasha smiles, spins and walks away.

Kagome looks at Shippo. "You?" she asks.

Shippo sighs. "Where do I sleep?"

"With my mother or Sota, I think. What about we go inside and find out?" Kagome smiles.

Shippo smiles, faintly.

They enter the house.

Some of the toppings, not every pizza had the same mix, BTW, include: Corn (very popular, by the way), potato, egg, squid ink sauce. And for Miroku, as a Buddhist monk he should be a vegetarian, so . . . green asparagus, a broccoli, tomato, mushrooms, corn, red pepper, green pepper, onions, extra cheese . . .

a link for pizza lovers . . .

chachich. com/ mdchachi/ pizza. html

The end of this chapter.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


	26. Inuyasha

Kagome's return chapter 25

from chapter 24

Inu-yasha sighs. He nods. He spins to walk away. He stops. He spins back around.

He walks over to Kagome and kisses her on the cheek, right where Sesshomaru kissed. "I love you."

Kagome purrs as she says, "Tonight. You sleep in my room."

Inu-yasha smiles, spins and walks away.

Kagome looks at Shippo. "You?" she asks.

Shippo sighs. "Where do I sleep?"

"With my mother or Sota, I think. What about we go inside and find out?" Kagome smiles.

Shippo smiles, faintly.

They enter the house.

A few minutes later, Kagome's girl friends and Kagome start to clean up the kitchen after the pizza party. (Kagome wants to spend, at least, a few minutes semi-alone with her oldest friends.)

Mrs. h pulled out several books on classical flower arraigning and paintings for Rin. Who is sitting on the floor, a book across her thighs, a piece of paper on the book and a pencil in her mouth, as she is tracing and drawing.

Mrs. H, Miroku and Sango are in her room, getting it ready for tonight.

Inu-yasha, Shippo and Sota are moving, the still, sleeping Kohaku to Sota's room, to free it for Kagome and Inu-yasha. Sota, of course, is taking this time to pepper Inu-yasha with questions.

Back in the kitchen . . .

"Kagome?" Yuka asks.

"Yes?" Kagome replies.

"When you go through the well and change the world, what will happen here?" Yuka asks in a small, anxious voice.

"Nothing." Kagome replies quickly.

"But? I thought the well went to the past?"

"The well is a connection to another world, Yuka, not to the past. That world is very similar to this world, but it is not this world."

"SO, if, say, you prevent world war two from happening on the other side of the well, Hiroshima will still happen here?" Eri asks.

Kagome grimaces, but nods. "Yes. But, hopefully I can prevent that from happening on the other side of the well."

"Good." All the girls chorus.

She sighs, "If I had used the acorn on this side of the well, then I'd be trying to change this world, but."

"You can really feel the world?" Ayumi asks.

Kagome nods. "I can't really explain it, Ayumi. But, ever since I've swallowed that acorn, I feel something. And it hurts horribly on this side, but, it didn't hurt on the other."

"Which, since that side of the well is closer to nature, that what's your feeling." Ayumi says.

Kagome nods. 'I'm planning on asking the God tree, to make sure, but, I'm sure that he'll say that I'm correct. It just feels right.'

Eri frowns as she slowly says, "And the world on the other side of the well, has magic and such, or at least more than on this side."

"Yes." Kagome replies.

Eri looks at her friend. "I wonder, are there other changes?"

Kagome sighs. "I don't know, Eri. Before, I was always hesitant to get too involved on that side of the well. I was afraid of changing history."

The three girls nod, remembering one evening study session that got highjacked, as the four of them start talking about time travel and paradoxes . . .

"But, I did make that trip to Kyoto, and it appeared basically to be what is in the history books. I double checked the names of the people I meet, and I found most of them. The few I couldn't find were either small potatoes or I could find people with similar names. So, I don't think there will be that many changes."

"Kagome?" Ayumi begins, "You know that I've always liked science fiction, fantasy and such."

"Yes."

"Once you told us about the well, I started looking for and reading novels about time travel and people going back and time and making the world better. Do you want to read them?"

Kagome blinks, as she thinks. 'I never would have thought about that. Even if it is fiction, I might get some ideas.' She slowly nods.

Ayumi smiles. "And, Kagome, I think you might need some history books."

Kagome grins. "I already thought about that, Ayumi. I'll get some. Knowing what happens in the future will help."

"What about how to make books?" Eri asks.

"Huh?"

"You've always complained about the lack of modern conveniences on that side of the well, Kagome, so, bring some books that tell you how to make things. So, you can make air conditioners, hot and cold running water, bug spray, you know, that type of things."

Kagome nods. "Good idea, Eri. I'll have to think about that, and figure out what I need to take. I don't think that making an air conditioner will be easy."

Eri giggles at that statement and nods.

Kagome places a finger to her lips as she thinks for a second. "I think, every time we'll use the well, for now on, whoever goes through needs to bring something, books or something else in a backpack."

She grins at the thought of her backpack full of books. 'Inu-yasha or Sesshomaru will get a work out. Books are heavy.' She thinks.

She sighs, heavily.

"Kagome?" Yuka asks. "What's wrong?"

"You know, guys, I had been assuming that since I'd be living on the other side of the well, I wouldn't have to go to school." Kagome sighs, again.

Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi look at each other and grin.

Yuka says, slyly, "And now, Kagome?"

"And now, it sounds like I'll have to study and learn, basically go to school, on that side of the well."

Kagome's three friends giggle at the disgust in Kagome's voice.

Yuka clears her throat, "enough of that. I want to know how is Sesshomaru in bed?" She asks once she's attracted everyone's attention.

Kagome blushes. She looks around. All of her friends are staring at her. "Well . . . first come closer so I can whisper it."

All four girls huddle in the middle of the kitchen, as Kagome begins to describe, in romantic terms, what happened . . .

Elsewhere . . .

Up in Sota's room, Inu-yasha's ears twitch.

Sota, by this time, has pulled out his gameboy and he and Shippo are huddled around it, as Sota is teaching Shippo how to play it.

'Fuck.' Inu-yasha glares at Sota and Shippo. 'They are too loud. I can't hear everything.' He thinks.

He looks down at the floor, trying to imagine what the four girls are talking about. 'Damn it. How can I compare to Sesshomaru?' he thinks. 'He's fucking perfect, and I'm not. So, tonight, what will happen?'

He grimaces, 'she'll hate me. I can't match his bedroom skills. He's had some of the best geisha's in japan teach him those skills. Me? Low class whores, village girls and Kikyo. And Kikyo just wanted me to lay there while she got on top. Hell, she never even took off her kimono. All she did was sit on me, still wearing all of her clothes. I never saw her breasts or her cunt.'

A low growl comes from deep in his throat, as he thinks, 'And the whores and village girls . . . Hell, the first few times, I didn't know my own strength, and when I climaxed, it got bloody.' He holds up his clawed hands as he remembers them covered in blood. His tongue licks his lips and fangs, as he remembers the taste of blood on them.

He closes his hand, making a fist. Blood begins to seep from his palm. Shippo, smelling the blood, glances over, but seeing the intense and angry look on inu-yasha's face, decides that paying attention to Sota, is better than asking inu-yasha what he is thinking about.

'Bellybutton?' Inu-yasha thinks, 'did I hear that correctly? His bellybutton is ticklish?' he shakes his head. 'She must have meant something else.'

He sighs. 'How can I make love to her? Fucking her is easy. We've done that. But making love, especially gently?'

He nods, straightening up. 'still, I've got to try. I love her. I'm not going to use her like some whore. Think. Remember, all those times sneaking around villages, stealing to live, but stopping and listening, and looking as the villagers made love to each other.'

His manhood begins to stir, as he remembers those days as he learned the difference between a man and woman. 'I hated Miroku's pepping, because it reminded me of all those times, when that was what I did.' He thinks, as he remembers those early jerk-off sessions as he watched village couples make love.

'Maybe, I can use some of the things that I saw then.' He thinks, 'I tried them a couple of times, when I was younger, but. Now, I know more, know I won't make the same mistakes.'

He bites his lips. 'And Kagome understands me, and carries for me, loves me, that should help. She's not some farmer's daughter that is just laying there, eyes closed, tears falling, that her father is bribing me with to leave his land. Since the farmer would rather have me rape his daughter, than steal and eat some of his chickens.'

'I will not lose her. She is the only good thing in my life. I will not screw it up. I will do whatever is needed to make sure of that. I will make love to Kagome.' Inu-yasha thinks.

Under his breath, he whispers, "I will not hurt her. I will love her. I will make her feel good."

His eyes glance at Shippo. Shippo is looking at him. Shippo's mouth forms the words, 'you'd better.'

Inu-yasha blushes, but nods.

Inu-yasha frowns, his ears twitch to Mrs. H's bedroom.

Sango and Miroku watch Mrs. H close the door behind her, as she leaves the room, leaving them, alone in her room.

Sango and Miroku turn to look at each other, and their eyes lock.

Time passes.

"Sango."

"Miroku."

They say at the same time.

Miroku bows, "you first, my dear."

Sango snorts. "I was going to say, that I'm going to find Kagome and see about having her show me how to use the washroom in this wondrous house."

Miroku nods. "It is a wonder, is it."

Sango nods, as she reaches out to the light switch and flicks it off/on a couple of times. "I don't think that I'll get used to this. Light, fireless light, so easily."

Miroku looks around. "The more I learn, the more I admire Kagome."

"Hmm?"

"She left all this for us." He sighs, "As a monk, I'm supposed to live in as simply as possible, but, to be honest, I don't know if I could have left this."

Sango blinks. "You really meant it." She whispers.

"Sango?"

"You just told me the truth." Sango replies. "You really meant it when you said that you love me and want to marry me."

"Of course." Miroku replies.

They look into each other's eyes again.

"I was afraid." Sango whispers.

"So was I." Miroku whispers.

They hug each other, tightly. Miroku and Sango kiss. Their hands, both sets, grip each other's buttocks and squeeze.

They break the kiss . . .

"Do you really want a bath?" Miroku whispers.

"After." Sango replies, kissing him, "we're going to make a mess, anyway, so, I'll clean up later."

They fall onto Kagome's mother's bed.

Mrs. H, on the side of the door, smiles. 'Anybody that disturbs them, I will get mad at.' She thinks.

Author's note: I'm not planning on detailing Sango and Miroku's love making. (There is a conversation, afterward, that I'll cover, but, not the actual sex play, itself.)

The end of this chapter.

Authors' notes: I'm going to try to clean up a few things.

To begin: Inu-yasha's characterization and his thoughts about sex in this chapter. One of the things that has been regularly commented about my version of Inu-yasha is how rough/violent he is.

So, while I have a full scale, history of him, that I want to write, I'm going to give an outline/psych profile here, so you can understand.

We know, from the manga/anime that he is six/seven or so when his mother dies. We know that he has a reputation, one that is nasty enough, that even after 50 years, he's still remembered.

My version.

He is left, alone to fend for himself, by Sesshomaru. In order to live, he has to steal food from villages. While he is stronger/faster than a normal kid, there are too many animals/demons in the woods to live. Plus, he does become lonely, and wants to be with people.

But . . . His looks (eyes, ears, etc) mean that he is never accepted. He will be bullied, beat up, thrown out, sooner or later from every village. (Or from any demons family that he tries to befriend.)

So, as he ages, he responds to the villager's violence with more violence. Random vandalism, thievery, assault, etc.

He does, at night, in the woods, hang around villages, samurai encampments, etc. and he learns about honor/samurai culture, etc., this way.

He wants to be better than the half-demon thug/bandit he has become. He wants to be more like his older brother, Sesshomaru.

So, he tries to become a full demon. And, then, with Kikyo, he sees a way to change his life. As a full human, then his past vanishes, and as the mate of the miko kikyo, he can start to become a samurai. The jewel is a win-win situation for him.

As far as, sex goes? Since inu-yasha is thug/bandit, with a nasty rep . . . well. Love doesn't happen. Instead, whores, frightened village girls, witches that want to use him (then kill him, etc.) are the only women he knows between his mother's death and kikyo.

And, too prove his manhood, he will have sex. There is no, if/and/buts about that. (He also kills to prove his manhood, BTW . . . )

Did he take women against their will? Shrug. I am sorry, in my version, yes. I'm sorry, but, I've read too many histories . . . life was brutal.

For example. For a farmer, having a bandit rape, your daughter was, at times, preferred to losing a couple of chickens. (The girl will recover, the chickens, though, are lost forever . . . ) It was far cheaper to buy a new wife, then to buy a new ox. (Not too mention, selling your daughter to become a whore/geisha, did happen . . . ) Life was cheap . . .

next: Sesshomaru ate a pizza. And yet, earlier in Kagome where are you, I had him refuse any human food. There are a few ways to explain this.

One: I could say that during Kagome's & Sesshomaru, as yet, still undetailed adventures in Kagome! Where are you!?, They found some spell that allows him to eat human food.

Or, perhaps, during their journey, someone did activate the food-bond, only to be killed . . . by Kagome so she could free Sesshomaru of that domination . . . (and since the food-bond only works, once, Sesshomaru, can now eat food, without problems . . . )

Two: I could say that during Kagome's & Sesshomaru's sex play, Sesshomaru has sucked on Kagome's breasts and he has drank her milk. She, therefore, has feed him. And, since the food-bond only occurs once, Sesshomaru can eat other food without difficulty. (By the way, Blood and such, can be used as food. And, he has licked up her blood . . . )

three: I could say that Sesshomaru went outside and threw up, avoiding the bond that way.

four: I could say that it was a mistake on my part. Just ignore those lines, and substitute some lines where Kagome makes up an excuse, Inu-yasha sneers at it, and everyone shrugs. (Sesshomaru is weird) and the night continues . . .

Whichever you chose to believe is up to you, the reader. At some point in time, I'll explain it . . . but, sometimes, as in real life, things happen without explanation . . .

Second: I've had a couple of reviewers mention a lack of 'magic' in this story, as compared to Kagome! Where are you?!

Kagome! Where are you?! Is a love story, as I match up Kagome/Sesshomaru? Once, they made love. That story was over, everything else, was getting them home.

Kagome's return, on the other hand, is a different type of story. Given the canon inu-yasha series, I saw no reason to show the growth of love between Kagome/Inu. I've assumed that it's there. (The same with Shippo/kag. and Miroku/Sango, BTW)

So, the tension, between kag/sess. or kag/Inu isn't what's driving this story. What is driving this story is the creation of Kagome's extended family. So, I'm sorry if you wanted a huge sexual tension-related story.

I could have caused Inu-yasha to throw his normal temper-tantrum. (Or Shippo, for that matter) but, I wanted to show that they are growing up.

So, instead of a huge blowup, I'm showing the minor details, that would happen, as they try to be adults and try to live together, instead of being teenagers that just react, without thinking.

It's a very different type of story, I know, which is why I wanted to write it.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


	27. The Finale

1Kagome's return chapter 26

The finale . . .

"Come on in." Kagome says as she leads him into her room. The moonlight shines through the window.

Inu-yasha follows behind her, licking his lips from nerves. He closes the door behind him.

Kagome spins to face Inu-yasha.

A small smile appears on her lips. "Inu-yasha, I wonder?"

He grunts. 'I'm going to watch what I say, tonight.' He thinks.

She sighs, "I thought about inviting you into the bathroom and you and I cleaning and washing each other."

Inu-yasha's eyes widen. He blushes. "AH. Kagome. Ah. I." He starts to try to speak.

Kagome reaches out and places her finger on his lips, quieting him. "But, I won't."

"Why?" he whispers.

Kagome steps close to Inu-yasha, her breasts lightly brushing against his chest. "Because, my love, we are not alone."

His ears twitch, as he listens, he can hear Mrs. h and Sota talking about Kohaku and Sango and Miroku talking in Mrs. h room. "And, other people will need the toilet." Kagome smiles. "And, I don't want our first bath together to be interrupted."

Inu-yasha swallows, hard.

Kagome slinks to her bed and sits down on it. She pats her bed and, with a sly smile, says, "inu-yasha, please, sit, boy."

Inu-yasha cringes, his arms instantly spread out to catch his body.

But, nothing happens . . . Inu-yasha, finally, remembers that the necklace is gone.

Kagome giggles.

He glares at her. "Bitch." He growls at her.

Her smile grows. "A joke, inu-yasha. Please, come and sit next to me."

He stands there, staring at her.

Kagome's face drops the smile and she looks at the ground. "I apologize, Inu-yasha. I just thought, well, that you might have found that funny. I'm sorry."

Inu-yasha nods his head. He then moves over and sits next to Kagome.

"Thank you, Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers. She moves her hand over and finds his.

She sighs, "you know, this is the first time, we've had a chance to talk, and not have the jewel hanging over us." Her head turns and she looks at him.

He is looking at her. "Yeah."

She softly grabs his hand and lifts it to her mouth. She kisses it.

Her soft lips caress his rough and calloused hands.

"How come?" Inu-yasha asks in a very quiet voice.

"What?" she asks, as she looks over his hand.

"Why do you love me?"

"Because I do."

A timeless pause as they look into each others eyes.

"I'm a half-demon. I'm a fucking worthless scumbag." Inu-yasha growls out. "Why?"

Kagome kisses his hand again. "I don't care about the fact that you are a half-demon." She smiles. "Truthfully, that makes you sexier. I've loved your ears from the first time that I spotted them."

His mouth drops open.

"And, whatever you were before I meet you, doesn't matter to me." She squeezes his hand. She smiles at him, "Oh, at times, I do wish that you'd control your temper better, and control your mouth more. But." She shrugs. "I can live with that."

Inu-yasha licks his lips, obviously wanting to speak, but, something is preventing him.

Kagome frowns, as she tries to determine what he is trying to ask. 'What is he thinking? I don't know' she thinks, 'maybe if I try that new power to feel emotions, I can figure it out.'

Inu-yasha thinks, 'How can I ask her, how do I compare to Sesshomaru? If I do, I'll sound like an idiot.'

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome asks, "What's wrong? Are you having second thoughts?" she frowns.

'I'm not feeling a lot of lust from him.' She thinks. 'Perhaps he does not want to have sex. He's refused my offers before. I always thought that he wanted to have sex, but that there were other reasons for him to say no. perhaps I was wrong.'

Inu-yasha shakes his head as he says, "second thoughts about us and Sesshomaru? No. not really. It's not what I would have done. But, I know you, Kagome. You never did like the fighting or the killing. I can live with it, I guess." He gives a small laugh, "hell, you would have probably dealt fairly and peacefully with Naraku."

Kagome's mouth shapes a small smile, "Yes. I would have." She sighs, "you may not believe this, but I once sought out Kikyo, by myself, in an attempt to settle things peaceably between us."

Inu-yasha's eyes narrow. He slowly nods. "I believe you. I don't remember when you could have had time to do it, but, I believe you did."

'If that's not it.' Kagome thinks, 'then, I'll try this...'

Kagome says in a quiet voice, "I know that I've pushed you into my room. I pushed you into this, so, if you don't want to have sex, tonight, Inu-yasha. I can understand." Her lips twitch into a smile, "it took a couple of weeks of living and fighting together before Sesshomaru and I made love, so, I can wait for you."

Inu-yasha, instinctively growls.

Kagome looks at him. Her eyes sharpen. 'I felt a sudden jolt of irritation, embarrassments, envy, fear? I know he doesn't like Sesshomaru and I making love. Is that it?'

Kagome clears her throat, in perpetration for a question, but.

"How can you love me, when I'm nothing compared to Sesshomaru?" Hisses through Inu-yasha's lips. He looks, almost as surprised as Kagome, that the question left his lips.

"Because you're not him." Kagome replies. She wiggles next to him and places her arm on his thigh. "You care for people more than he does. You'll go the extra step and save people. He'll make a calculation, and if the price is more than he cares to pay, he'll make the pragmatic logical decision." She smiles. "And, I simply, love you. Love doesn't have to logical, Inu-yasha."

Inu-yasha blinks. "Caring? You think that I'm caring?"

Kagome nods.

"And that's important? Not how I look? Not how I act?" he asks. Kagome nods, yes, at each question.

Inu-yasha's eyes flick to the bed, than to Kagome's breasts.

'I felt a flash of lust.' Kagome thinks. 'But, was that from inu-yasha, or is that from Sango and Miroku?'

She blinks, and before she can stop and think about it, asks, "are you afraid that I'm going to compare yours and Sesshomaru's love making techniques?"

Inu-yasha growls, deeply and loudly. Then, he slumps, staring at the floor.

Kagome, just barely, stops herself from cringing. 'Such a surge of anger and fear!'

"You are." She breathes. She reaches out and grabs him, lifting and turning his head. She stares into his eyes. "I want you to be different from him. I want to make you happy. I want you to make me happy. How" She shrug. "How, I do not care." She pauses. "But, Inu-yasha I will tell you this . I will promise you this. I will not compare the two of you in bed."

"You're not?" He whispers.

She shakes her head, no. "I want the two of us to be happy, Inu-yasha." She pauses. "If that means waiting a couple of days, until we are truly alone, and then making love, so be it." A small smile appears on her lips, "If that means you ripping off my clothes, throwing me on the floor and violently fucking me, I'll love that."

Inu-yasha takes a deep breath, "you mean that?"

Kagome bends over and kisses him on the lips, just a quick peck. "Yes." She reaches out and grabs his rough, clawed hand and rises it to her cheek. His calluses scrap across her baby-smooth cheek. She kisses the palm on his hand.

His eyes widen.

"You know, Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers. "I daydreamed, a lot, about the two of us making love."

"Yeah. I know." He whispers, as they look each other in the eyes. "The smell of your lust was, at times, hard to ignore."

Kagome's lips twitch. "You know, Inu-yasha, it wasn't until Sango and I started talking about her, you, Miroku and sex, that she told me about how much you could smell." She giggles. "I knew that your nose was powerful. I just never thought about you smelling that on me."

Inu-yasha snorts. "I thought so. After she showed up, you were a lot more careful about it."

Kagome nods. "But, Inu-yasha, do you know exactly what I was dreaming of, as I masturbated?"

Inu-yasha, blushing, shakes his head, no.

"At first, to be honest, it was pretty much like you'd expect. We'd win. And, then, on our wedding night, you'd spend all night making long, gentle love to me." She looks at Inu-yasha.

He looks away. 'There's no way. I can do that.' He thinks.

"But, then, my dream did change, some. Oh, I have, still, occasionally had that dream. But, I'd also dream of you, just one day out of the blue, grabbing me, jumping off into the woods, ripping my clothes off, ripping your clothes off, and then, in the middle of some clearing, perhaps even among the branches of some tree," She pauses; "we'd fuck each other senseless."

"You mean that?!" Inu-yasha blurts out.

Kagome smiles as she nods. "I'm sure that you've smelled me, on occasion, as I rode your back, that is what I was thinking of."

"I just run off and take you." Inu-yasha says in a dazed voice.

Kagome nods.

"Do you, fucking! Know how many times I thought about doing that." Inu-yasha growls. "hell, the reason that half the time, more than half the time, when we landed, that I shook you off my back so violently, it was to disguise the fact that I had a hardon."

Kagome giggles. "And here I thought that you didn't want me on you."

"Oh I did. I just wanted to be on top." Inu-yasha replies, quickly.

Kagome smiles. Their eyes catch and she leans back down on the bed, dragging her hand between her breasts and to her stomach.

"Well?" She purrs.

Inu-yasha leans over her. Then he shakes himself, his hair twisting violently. "No" he sits back.

"Why?" she says painfully.

He reaches down. His rough clawed hands brush against her cheeks. "because. That's what I want to do."

"Huh?" Kagome says. Then, after a very slight pause. "Oh, that's what you mean. You want the first time that we make love to be like that."

Inu-yasha nods. "Yeah. I know it won't be the first time we've fucked, but."

"You never did like what happened during the spring festival or the trip to Kyoto. You were forced into fucking me. And now, I'm forcing you, as well."

He nods.

Kagome nods. She smiles. "Ok, Inu-yasha, I can wait. I would like our first time, alone, together to be unforgettable."

He tries to conceal his sigh of relief.

She giggles again. "But, we are still sleeping together in my bed tonight."

"But, but." He sputters.

Kagome pats the bed, "we'll undress and sleep together, Inu-yasha. Nothing more, I promise."

"Why?"

"Because, I want to sleep next to you. I want to go to sleep in your arms. I want your face to be the first thing that I see in the morning."

He smiles, and taps the bed. His strength causes the springs in the bed to moan.

Kagome smiles, "And if you want to sleep on the floor, I'll do that. Or are you afraid of my bed?" She whispers.

He growls and leans over her. His body drapes itself over her body. He breathes, "I'm not afraid of anything."

She reaches up and hugs him, dragging him down and pressing him against her body. "I know, My love. That's why I love you. You're not afraid of falling in love with me." She kisses him.

He kisses her back. Her tongue slides out of her mouth and taps his teeth, wanting in. He opens his mouth, her tongue invades it, as his tongue invades her mouth. His body begins to grind itself into hers.

His hands slide down her body, his claws ripping her clothes.

Her hands slide between their bodies, and untie his clothes, as they go under them.

"No!" Inu-yasha gasps as he sits up. He quickly grabs his clothes and wraps them around him.

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome whimpers, as she lays on the bed, she makes no attempt to cover herself. "Come back." She purrs, her eyes wide with pleasure.

He shakes his head. "Kagome. We just promised not to do this, and now, we're jumping each others bones?"

Kagome blinks. 'I am feeling good. Very good.' She thinks.

Kagome moans in pleasure and stiffens.

Inu-yasha moans in pleasure. His pants darken as he ejaculates his seed.

"Miroku." Kagome moans.

"Miroku!" Inu-yasha hisses in anger.

She blinks. "Damn." She hisses. She places her hands on her forehead and concentrates.

"Miroku?" Inu-yasha says again. "You were dreaming of him? Now? I'll kill him!"

Kagome reaches out and grabs him, dragging him down. She grabs his ear and hisses into it. "No inu-yasha, don't!"

"Then why did you just say Miroku?" Inu-yasha hisses back.

"I did something stupid, Inu-yasha."

"Like that's new." Scorn fills his voice.

"Shush, anyway, remember that power I had to show you my emotions?""Yeah." Inu-yasha frowns. "You were feeling Sango's?"

"And Miroku's, I am sure." Kagome shivers in pleasure.

Inu-yasha growls, deep in his chest. His pants tent as his manhood stirs. "I felt that."

"Yeah. That was Sango. She just had another orgasm." Kagome says in a distracted voice. Her eyes appear to be focused inward, as she concentrates.

A pause. "There. I think I've turned it off." She, finally. "I definitely going to have to be careful about that power, I think."

"Yeah." Inu-yasha says. He frowns. "Kagome?"

"Yes, Inu-yasha?"

"You were feeling their lust and giving it to me and you." She nods, following his line of thinking. "If we had fucked each other, would you still be giving those emotions to other people?"

"I hope not!" Kagome replies. "But, maybe, yes."

"But, if you could feel the monk and Sango, surely they could feel you."

"Yes." Kagome hisses. "I see what you're getting at, now, Inu-yasha. If we make love, and I'm broadcasting our emotions, then the people around me will feel them. Then, as they make love, under that influence, I'll pick up that lust and broadcast it, reinforcing the lust. It will turn into a positive feedback loop that will increase the lust of anybody around me."

Inu-yasha nods.

Kagome thinks for a second and then shivers. She sits up, holding out her arms. "Hug me, please."

Inu-yasha hugs her, gently.

"What just frightened you?" He whispers.

"Is that power still working?" Kagome asks, frightened.

"No. I could smell your fear."

"If that power works like that." Kagome pauses, swallowing hard. "It will also work with anger, envy, the negative emotions as well."

Inu-yasha stiffens. "So, just as a flare of lust, might make you and anybody next to you very horny, a flare of anger, could lead to a nasty fight."

Kagome nods. "I'm going to have to be very careful with that power."

"Yeah."

As they are still hugging, They move their heads, turning their cheek against each other. They stare into each others eyes. "Hold me." Kagome whispers.

Inu-yasha hugs her tighter. "I will. I'll protect you, no matter what."

"I just want to go to sleep in your arms." Kagome whispers.

Inu-yasha picks her up and lays her down on her bed. He opens his shirt and covers her with it. "You know that's what the blankets for." She whispers.

"fuck the blanket. I'm covering you."

Kagome snuggles closer to Inu-yasha. "good."

"Go to sleep. It's been a long day, Kagome. I'll protect you."

"I love you, Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers.

"I love you, Kagome." He whispers back.

Kagome wiggles against him, then, falls asleep, a peaceful expression on her face.

Inu-yasha looks at face and whispers, "I'll protect you against anything, Kagome. Myself, Sesshomaru, even your own powers."

The next morning.

In Kagome's mother bedroom.

Sango opens her eyes. They flick over to Miroku, who is still sleeping against her. They are both sleeping under the covers in the middle of Mrs. h bed. The sheets are a mess . . .

She stiffens, involuntarily. 'It's ok.' She thinks, as she opens her fist. 'He can live.'

She relaxes, and subtly moves away from him. She looks at Miroku. Her hand reaches out and touches his face, softly. 'Last night . . . ' she smiles. 'Last night was unforgettable. But, then again, his ability in the bedroom, I never doubted.'

Her hand leaves his face and travels to her stomach. 'Am I with child? He certainly did everything humanly possible to make me pregnant. If I am, I am. I will, sooner or later, become pregnant, and with Naraku dead, and Kohaku to live on this of the well, then, I must have children.'

She sighs, 'I'd like to wait. But, the ghosts of my family, my clan, and he demands children, so.'

Her eyes flick to the window. 'Dawn, I think, or soon after. Time to get up and see if I can help my new mother.'

She smiles again. "A new mother." She whispers. "And family."

"I certainly hope so." Miroku whispers.

Her head turns to look at him. He is staring at her.

"I didn't think that you were awake?" Sango whispers.

His hand appears from under the covers and touches her cheek. "I never fell asleep. The thought of laying next to you kept me awake."

"I was, by the way, thinking about our new mother and family."

"Oh." Disappointment fills his voice.

Her hand catches his. "But, I will pray that last night we were fertile."

He smiles. "Thank you." He whispers. He brushes a tear from one of his eyes.

His eyes change. "Yes. Our new mother, sister, and brother are unique, fine, and honorable people." He looks at her, "I am, we are, honored to be part of Kagome's family."

Sango nods. "Of course." She sighs, "we do need to get up, Monk. Ah Miroku. Yesterday, our mother told me that she is planning on having Kagome use her powers, or the power of Tenseiga to make it appear that Kagome's grandfather died in his sleep last night."

He nods. "Yes, that is what I understood."

"And, from listening to Chika, Kagome and our mother talk, we'll have to be gone, while our mother and Kagome deal with the authorities. I believe that Kagome's friends are supposed to show up and give us, including Shippo and Rin, a tour of the city, or whatever a mall is."

He nods.

Sango flips off the covers and swings her legs off the bed as she sits up. Miroku sighs as he watches her breasts bounce as she moves.

"Pervert." She whispers.

He sits up, moving his legs into a lotus position, his erect manhood is very visible. "Did you doubt it?"

Sango snorts.

"I would have thought." He starts to speak, but, Sango interrupts.

"Just because, I've agreed to marry you, doesn't change you. If anything, it makes me a pervert, like you." She sighs. She glares at him. "Just don't expect me to do everything that you want."

"Ah." Miroku starts to speak, than he stops, as he thinks about what she just said. As he pauses, Sango stands up, and reaches for her clothes, as she starts to dress.

"As much as I'm going to hate it, I'm going to have to knock on Kagome's door." Sango says, "She promised to show me how that bathroom works. And, from all of the times she's praised her modern bathroom, I want to try it out."

"Inu-yasha is not going to like you." Miroku says in a dry voice.

"He'll get used to it." Sango replies. She sighs, "Of course, interrupting her when she's with Sesshomaru. That will take some getting used to."

"Yes." Miroku hisses. "That will take getting used to."

"Do you think that he did something to her?" Sango whispers.

"Other than." Miroku pats the bed.

"Yes. Pervert." Sango hisses. "I know he did that. I want to know about anything else."

Miroku rubs his chin. "I trust her. So, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"I heard a but in there."

"I also trust her mother."

Sango nods.

"Inu-yasha, though, he will want to know the answer to that question, as well. And he will question her very closely. If he finds something, then."

"Then?"

Miroku takes a deep breath. "Then, we'll make our decision based on what we know."

Sango pauses. She nods. "Yes. That is good." Her eyes flick across his body. "Get dressed, Miroku."

He sighs, but stands up and begins to dress.

Sango looks at the bed and sniffs. "I'm going to have to wash that entire bed. How do you wash that flexible box, the one that we slept on?"

Miroku pauses and shrugs. "I don't know. I'm sure that our mother knows and will tell you what you need to do."

Sango flicks her eyes at Miroku. 'Of course, not even a hint of an offer to help. But, without Kagome to point out to me that men could and maybe should help out around the house, I would never have thought about it.'

Miroku frowns, as he watches her straighten up the room, as he thinks, 'she's not mentioned anything about my fidelity. I've been waiting and watching, but she's said nothing about stopping me from being with other women. Why?'

Sango, after a last glance at room, moves to open the door.

"Sango?" Miroku whispers.

She stops, turns and asks, "Yes, Miroku?"

He licks his lips. "AH."

Her eyebrow rises. "A question that embarrasses you enough that you stuttered?"

He clears his throat. "Perhaps." He pauses.

She stares at him.

"You're not helping me."

"Should I?"

He takes a deep breath. "I think. No. I wonder when you wish to discuss the oaths of marriage, and how they will apply to our union?"

Her lips twitch. "If you wish to remove the oath about fidelity, I'm not going to stop you."

His eyes widen. His mouth drops in surprise.

Sango's eyes harden. "I have watched you for too long, perverted Monk." She gestures to his monks robes. "Every day, you break, or best bend, the oaths that you made when you accepted your office. No oath will bind you. And, I'm not going to waste my time trying."

She steps over to him, grabs him and lifts him off the ground. "But. Monk. My honor is now connected to you. IF you dishonor me, I will do what I must to repair the honor of my family, the honor of my sister, the honor of our marriage, and finally, my honor."

She pauses, staring deep in his eyes. "Do you understand that?"

He nods.

She puts him down and releases him. She smiles. "Then, there is no need to discuss this again. I trust you with my honor."

She spins and leaves the room.

Miroku rubs his chin, 'hmmm. So, as long as there is no scandal, I can be with other women. Good, I can work with that.' He thinks.

later . . .

After Sango's first modern bath. (Bubble baths' are wonderful things . . . )

After Tenseiga and Kagome have fixed Kagome's grandfather's body, and Mrs. H has called the authorities.

After Kagome's three girl friends leave with Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Rin for a tour of the city, and, of course, a day at a mall. (All dressed in modern clothes.)

Kagome stands with Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha as they watch the police arrive at the bottom of the stairs.

"I wish that you two had gone with the others." Kagome says in wistful tone.

"No." Inu-yasha growls. "We'll stay nearby. To protect you."

Sesshomaru nods.

Kagome sighs. "Ok. I can't stop you. Just make sure that nobody sees you."

"We will." Sesshomaru says.

"Ok. I'm going inside, now." Kagome sighs. "Today is going to be a long day. So, be warned."

"We understand." Inu-yasha says.

Kagome kisses Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru, just peeks on their cheeks, not full mouth kisses, though, spins and enters the house. "I love you. Both of you." She says.

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru glance at each other and jump into high branches of the god tree.

"I won't have thought that you were shy, Inu-yasha." Sesshomaru remarks after they land.

Inu-yasha snorts. "I don't care about them. But, it's not worth the argument with her."

Sesshomaru thinks, 'I was thinking about teasing him about last night, and how he didn't make love to her. But, if I do that would just irritate him. And, once she learns about it, she becomes irritated, as well. The couple of seconds of pleasure, isn't worth the problems.' He sighs.

He frowns. "Did you hear that?"

Inu-yasha nods. "One of the so-called police down there is trying to spy on Kagome."

"Hmm." Sesshomaru grips the hilt of Tokijin, thinking. "Apparently, that incident when we arrived is causing problems."

"Yeah." Inu-yasha mutters. "And, she and I will be leaving soon, too."

"So, something has to be done about that, soon."

Inu-yasha nods. "What?"

"They are going to spy on her. And, judging from what I've heard as she was talking about it to her mother and her friends, she's afraid that the 'men in black' will appear and take her, us, or her family away."

"Yeah. Once, to stop me from wandering around her school, she showed me a movie about some scientist and how he experimented on animals." Inu-yasha says. "Island of Dr. Moreau? I think that is what she called it."

Sesshomaru nods. "Yes. She told me a similar story, I believe."

"I've got to," he looks at Sesshomaru, "We've got to protect her and her family." Inu-yasha states.

Sesshomaru nods.

"It's my experience." Sesshomaru begins. "That an aggressive defensive is better than waiting for my enemies to move."

"Yeah." Inu-yasha mutters.

"We've also only have a limited amount of time to act." Sesshomaru muses. "You will be leaving soon, and even when you return, the well will stop sooner or later."

"Yeah. And, her mother, Kokahu, and I think her brother will be staying on this side of the well." Inu-yasha mutters. "How can we protect them, when the well doesn't work?"

"Her brother will be staying on this side of the well."

"Are you sure?"

Sesshomaru nods. "I listened to her conversation with him last night. She wants him to have a proper education. And, he had been talking to Rin, and Rin told him about all the work that children have to do."

Inu-yasha nods. "Yeah, peasant children have to start working in the fields pretty much as soon as they learn to walk."

"He was upset about working in the fields." Sesshomaru says in an amused tone. "I believe that is the polite term. You do know, little brother, that his vocabulary sounds suspiciously like yours."

"Feh." Inu-yasha grins. "I bet."

"So, he'll be staying on this side of the well."

A pause.

"How do we protect them?" Inu-yasha asks.

"I think, little brother." Sesshomaru begins, "That we need to find whoever is in charge of these 'men in black'."

"And put the fear of us in him." Inu-yasha growls, as his fist grips Tetsusaiga's hilt.

"Or, simply remove him from his life."

Inu-yasha shrugs, totally indifferent to the prospect of killing. "She's made it very plain that she expects to be busy, handling everything connected to her grandfather's death."

"Yes. It sounds like that will take all day." Sesshomaru glances at Inu-yasha. "I do know where this 'airport' is. Shall we go there and track down these 'men in black'?"

"Yes." Inu-yasha hisses . . .

The top of the god tree twitches as the brothers jump off it . . . on their way to the airport.

Later . . . after dinner.

In the living room . . .

Shippo and Rin are talking a mile a minute about their adventures during the day. Sango and Miroku add in the occasional comment, but it's mainly Shippo's and Rin show.

And everyone, even Sesshomaru, is laughing (with Sesshomaru grinning) at it.

The phone rings.

Mrs. h Answers it. A pause. "Kagome turns on the news!" she cries. "Chika says that there is something on that we need to see!"

Kagome fishes for the remote control, and turns on the TV.

A news reporter is speaking: "Today, there was a sequence of possible terrorist related incidents throughout Tokyo."

A picture of Tokyo Airport appears behind him.

"At the airport, a group of very well armed terrorists attacked the security headquarters."

A shaky telephoto shot of a very damaged building. The concrete around the building is shattered. The damage patterns are very familiar to most of the people in the room.

"Details are still vague, but, a number of deaths are confirmed. The reason behind the attack is still unknown."

Another shot appears. A very damaged line of building appears. A number of fire engines, police cars, and media trucks are in front of them. Again, the pattern of damage is very familiar . . .

"A block of buildings, near the American embassy, has also been destroyed. The owners of these buildings have not been located. Several reporters, asking local residents, are reporting that these buildings were frequented by foreigners. The businesses that were housed in this building have foreign ownership, and some questions exist as too exactly what businesses were located in these buildings."

He licks his lips. "A number of deaths are being reported, but, many of the bodies appear to be foreigners. So exact numbers are not available."

Kagome turns to Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. Her eyes are blazing.

Sesshomaru shrugs. "They were planning on kidnaping you."

Inu-yasha nods. "They aren't now."

"We controlled ourselves." Sesshomaru continues. "The number of deaths was minor."

Kagome closes her eyes. "Minor! Minor compared to what!" she cries.

Inu-yasha grips Tetsusaiga's hilt. "We did what was needed to protect you and your family."

Kagome presses her hand against her forehead, trying futilely to stop the headache that is growing rapidly. 'Now what?' she thinks.

She glances at the TV. The reporter is going on about possible groups that might be responsible.

'They have no idea what they did.' She thinks. 'And, what's worse, as far as they are concerned they did the right thing. Think, Kagome. Think.' She sighs. "Ok, what's done is done. Just, next time, tell me, first!"

"Of course. If there is time." Sesshomaru replies.

"Yeah. It might not be possible to tell you." Inu-yasha amplifies.

"Try."

"Kagome?" Mrs. H asks.

Kagome sighs. "The only thing that I can think of is that we need to vanish, Mother. Oh, they'll still take you in for questioning, I'm sure. But, if we're not here, they can't do anything else."

Mrs. H nods. "I think, I'll make some sort of video tape with that TV reporter that I know. Something, just in case I or Sota vanishes."

Kagome nods.

"How soon before you vanish?" Mrs. H replies.

Kagome sighs. "It can wait, I think. Because of that mess," She gestures to the TV. "It will take a while for the government to figure it out, and get organized." She looks at Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. "And our protectors can sense when they arrive."

"Of course." Inu-yasha says.

Sesshomaru nods.

Kagome sighs. "With a bit of luck, I don't think that it'll affect what we've planned, Mother. Although, I think that your life, after we leave might get . . . "

"Complex?" Mrs. h says.

Kagome nods.

Mrs. H nods. "I can adjust."

"I know you can, mother." Kagome and her mother hug.

Kagome looks at Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru. She thinks, 'what will happen in the future? Can I control them? From what I know of history, there will be other warlords that I'll have to deal with. How hard will it be to control them? Especially since those warlords will not love me, like Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru does.'

She takes a deep breath. 'I will find a way. I will change the world into something better.'

The end of Kagome's Return.

Authors' note: Miroku's & Sango and extramarital affairs. Sango's attitude. Basically, don't throw it in my face, and I'll ignore it. That, by the way, is a very traditional attitude. A wife should trust her husband. So, unless he's stupid enough to shove her face into it, he can get away with a lot.

Authors' note: this finishes the storyline that I had planned.

Yes, there is still the story of Sango, Miroku, Rin, Shippo's day in the city.

Yes, there is still the story of Kagome and Inu-yasha's vacation (honeymoon)

Yes, there is still the story of the fight with Sesshomaru's mother.

But, those are other stories, which I will write sometime in the future.

Right now . . .

Right now. I'm going to take a week, probably two week break.

During this time, I am planning on working on A Shard in Kyoto. (In order to get around the writers block, I'll probably have to change what I had planned, but, I do want to finish that story.)

I am, also, working a group website, on which I'll have my stories posted, and I hope, using the message/chat section of that site, the fans of my stories can interact.

And, I've got another short story planned.

Hopefully, sometime around Sept 10 to 15, I'll start my new major story.

Kagome Goddess of Japan. A history of the world, from 1550 to 2000, as Kagome changes (conquers in other words) the world . . .

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton


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